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Category: Aspectus

Leave out the vowel or throw in the towel? It’s all about timing

By Ted Harvey, deputy head of capital markets

Abrdn’s decision to reinstate its missing vowel highlights a crucial aspect of corporate rebranding: timing. While the company’s U-turn was inevitable, its timing overshadowed positive business developments. This blog explores why timing is critical when reversing a branding change and how companies can better manage the communication in the press.

It took years of ridicule, allegations of ‘corporate bullying’, and a new CEO before ‘Abrdn’ decided enough was enough. The Edinburgh-based asset manager this week threw in the towel, reinstating a vowel it would’ve done better to leave alone in the first place.

Most readers close to the story – not least the company’s staff and shareholders – would agree this was likely to happen sooner or later. But the timing of its U-turn strikes us as strange, if not entirely misguided. It begs the question, is there an optimal time to execute a ‘re-rebrand’?

A strange vowel movement

Although Aberdeen’s now infamous 2021 rebrand was doubtless conceived with all the right  intentions, it is tough to pull off a name-change that seems to do little other than remove the letter ‘e’ – especially when vowel rhymes with bowel.

Overnight, the company made itself an easy target for savvy sub-editors. Memorable headlines featured phrases like ‘vowel movement’ and ‘disemvowelment’. And this wasn’t the only weakness in its rebranding strategy, as highlighted in our previous blog.

The rebrand ultimately weakened the brand’s equity. Prior to their £11bn merger in 2017, Standard Life and Aberdeen Asset Management were well-established names with considerable brand value. By moving away from these names, the company forfeited the instant recognition and trust they carried. Though it aimed to emulate the success of tech startups like Tumblr and Flickr, Abrdn failed to achieve the same resonance within the financial sector.

Like many poorly conceived rebrands, it seemed more like a distraction from the company’s deeper business challenges. And this is precisely why the timing of its ‘re-rebrand’ is odd. This time, the asset manager is distracting readers from positive news.

How to bury good news

Fans of Armando Iannucci’s award-winning political satire The Thick of It might recall an insight Malcolm Tucker, the foul-mouthed spin doctor, shared in season four: “You know what they say – ‘You can’t bury bad news.’ Well, good news is even harder to bury. You put a press release out saying, ‘Everything’s great,’ and every bastard wants to know why.”

Yet, it almost seems as though Aberdeen’s board tried to prove Mr Tucker wrong. By calling attention to the company’s disastrous rebrand via a U-turn, the press inevitably focused on this news and clouded over the company’s progress, which has been steady.

Under new chief executive Jason Windsor, investment management outflows fell sharply in 2024 and fund performance improved. Profits from the investment arm also rose 22% to £61m, despite a 9% fall in revenue to £797m. While the business is by no means out of the woods yet, positive press coverage garnered by its more encouraging results has mostly been suffocated by the latest episode in its rebranding saga. This press strategy would’ve had more than a few veins popping in Mr Tucker’s head.

The smarter play

In terms of when it is right to reverse course on a publicly decried company strategy, it is by no means a perfect science. There are certain advantages in promptly admitting defeat and reversing, as we saw with Post Office’s abandoned attempt to rebrand as Consignia. But given it has been several years since Aberdeen’s initial rebrand, the smarter play would have been to hold tight at least a little while longer.

Timing the change alongside a major strategic announcement, such as a new acquisition, leadership change, or product launch, would’ve been smarter yet. This would frame the change as part of a broader transformation, rather than an admission of past mistakes. This way, the company could have controlled the narrative and shifted focus away from the ridicule of ‘Abrdn’ towards a fresh, forward-looking message. And it would also have avoided burying the positive financial results under the re re-brand story, which is perfect fodder for headlines.

It is too late for Aberdeen to pay heed to this advice, but companies considering a reverse to part of their strategy would be wise to think carefully about timing and the reception in the media. Those that don’t risk making a name for themselves – and not in the way they were hoping.

Key takeaways:

  • Q: Why did Abrdn revert to its original name?
  • A: The company faced years of criticism for its 2021 rebrand, which weakened brand equity and became a distraction from its core business.
  • Q: Why was the timing of Abrdn’s rebrand reversal problematic?
  • A: The announcement overshadowed positive business developments, shifting media focus back to the contentious rebrand instead of financial growth.
  • Q: When is the best time to fix a failed rebrand?
  • A: Ideally, companies should align rebranding reversals with major strategic shifts, such as leadership changes, acquisitions, or product launches, to control the narrative.

About the author:

Ted Harvey is the deputy head of Capital Markets at Aspectus Group, where he helps shape the narrative for financial thought leaders and market influencers. Prior to joining Aspectus, he honed his expertise at Barret and Cook stockbrokers.

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3 Lessons from My First Three Months as a PR and Marketing apprentice

By Ryan Morah-Wray, 1st Year Apprentice

This blog shares the journey of Ryan Morah‑Wray, a PR and digital marketing apprentice at Aspectus, and his three key lessons from his time so far. From juggling multiple priorities to embracing feedback, and how every experience shapes his understanding of the industry to build a strong foundation for the exciting road ahead.  

3 Lessons from My First Three Months as a PR and Marketing apprentice 

With National Apprenticeship week in full swing, I’ve put together this blog to dive into my experience and what I’ve learnt during my first three months as an apprentice here at Aspectus.  

But before I get into that, I want to briefly explain what apprentices are and why they are beneficial to businesses. Apprentices are individuals who take on a structured training programme that combines on-the-job experience with formal education. Some benefits apprentices give to a company include fresh perspectives and innovation, increased productivity and positive branding.  

Lesson one: Become comfortable with being uncomfortable 

Coming into this apprenticeship everything was completely new to me. I had never heard of search engine optimisation (SEO) or a press release and my experience with Microsoft Teams was close to none.  

The most progress I’ve made during this apprenticeship has come from putting myself in uncomfortable situations. Being uncomfortable is never a nice feeling; however, if we don’t go through this feeling, we will never learn anything new. Even if you think back to when you learnt to ride a bike, you were probably very uncomfortable, falling off a dozen times and wanting to give up. But in the end, you learn it. I feel like this has applied and related a lot during my time at Aspectus.  

There are many times I’ve been given a task that feels daunting or is very confusing and puts me in a feeling of discomfort, and this is completely normal. However, it is the next steps that you take which decide what the outcome will be. You need to be prepared to fail at a task and receive feedback and keep trying until it becomes second nature. You then look back and think why on earth was I so worried about this.  

Lesson two: Ask questions and embrace feedback 

Entering a corporate environment as an 18-year-old can be extremely overwhelming. It’s easy to feel like by asking more senior members questions that you will be bothering or pestering them; however, this is far from reality. In fact, it is the complete opposite.  

Senior team members want to see that you are enthusiastic and eager to learn, and they are not expecting you to know everything. The more questions the better! One thing in particular that was heavily voiced to me when I started at Aspectus was that there is no such thing as a silly question. I can definitely say that some of the questions that I asked during my first few weeks I felt a bit foolish asking, but I was always reassured that it’s essential to ask these questions in order to learn and grow. 

Lesson three: Celebrate small wins 

This apprenticeship has taught me the importance of giving recognition to small milestones. Sometimes it is easy to get lost in the pursuit of long-term goals and we forget to look back and celebrate smaller achievements. These achievements could be as small as developing a new skill or completing a project.  

An achievement I am particularly proud of during my first few months at Aspectus was a presentation that I did alongside my fellow apprentice, Eloise, at Aspectus’ annual company day. As someone who had never presented to more than 5 people in my entire life, I’m sure you could understand my concerns when I was told that we would be doing a 10-minute presentation in front of the whole company. Despite our initial fear, Eloise and I  put together a great presentation that got unbelievable feedback. This gave us such a confidence boost and really improved our public speaking skills. This is just one of many achievements I’ve had so far at Aspectus, and I cannot wait for what more is in store for the future. 

It is safe to say that I am delighted with my decision to do an apprenticeship with Aspectus. It has given me so many different opportunities and I have developed a range of new skills which would not have been possible if I had chosen to go to university.  

For those who are considering applying for an apprenticeship, Here’s the key takeaways from my experience so far: 

  • Become comfortable with being uncomfortable – growth comes from being in situations you are not used to.  
  • Ask questions and embrace feedback – you will learn most from asking questions, no matter how silly you think they might sound. 
  • Celebrate small wins – give recognition to milestones as small as developing a new skill, they are all steps in a positive direction.  

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Marketing lessons from Guinness: what B2B brands can learn

By Ellie Jackson, Chief Client Strategy Officer

Guinness’ marketing success isn’t just about beer—it’s about branding mastery. From consistent storytelling to distinctive brand assets and smart innovation, Guinness offers powerful lessons for B2B marketers. This post breaks down key takeaways that can help any business build stronger brand recognition and long-term market success.

There’s been something of a storm in a pint glass in the last couple of weeks with speculation – and then firm denial – that Diageo planned to offload Guinness, followed by further headlines about UK shortages. While it seems as though the famous brand is staying where it is, at least for now, it got me musing on what we can all learn from its successes – even if our industries are a world apart.


Guinness is often held up as an exemplar in marketing circles – let’s look at why that’s the case, and see what universal truths might translate to the often niche B2B worlds many of our clients inhabit.

1) The power of consistent brand storytelling

Great brands tell great stories – and Guinness has been doing it right for decades. From the classic, Good things come to those who wait campaign where the story rewinds after the first satisfying gulp to show the lead up to that moment from the start of time itself, to the iconic Surfer ad, Guinness has mastered the art of storytelling. Stories engage, and engagement sells – regardless of industry.

Then, when they hit on something that works, they let it run. For B2B, this is a useful lesson as well. Too many businesses kill off successful campaigns prematurely in the pursuit of ‘newness’ – something we talked about previously in this post. Resonance takes time to build, and consistency is how you become known for certain things over time.

2) Using distinctive brand assets to stand out

‘Distinctive brand assets’ (DBAs) is just fancy marketing speak for ‘stuff that is recognizably your brand’, usually beyond your logo and name. Guinness handles this seriously well, using its black and white to great effect, like in the You Were Always on My Mind campaign after the COVID lockdowns.

We’ve got a whole post about DBAs, but suffice it to say, it’s an area many B2B businesses can improve. Is it important in niche B2B just as it is for Guinness? I’d say absolutely. After all, DBAs give you license to play in your marketing – just like Guinness did in the above campaign – and that creativity is what’s going to help your product and brand be remembered across the lengthy periods when your future prospects are not actively in-market.

The key is committing to your distinctive assets. Whether it’s a color scheme, a graphic style, a signature tone of voice, or even a unique product shape, consistency helps create instant recognition – crucial in B2B markets where buying cycles are long, and infrequent.

3) Innovating for all the right reasons

At first glance, a pint of Guinness is a pint of Guinness. Indeed, I’d argue that consistency has played a role in its success – but where they’ve been smart is in evolving around the product without diluting its core appeal.

Take Guinness Draught in a can. Instead of compromising on quality to chase mass-market convenience, Guinness developed its signature nitrogen widget to replicate the experience of a fresh draught pour at home. More recently, they’ve responded to shifts in consumer demand with products like Guinness 0.0, catering to the growing no-alcohol trend without sacrificing taste (at least in my opinion!)

For B2B brands, the lesson here is not just ‘innovate to show we’re smart,’ but ‘innovate to meet customer needs’.

Key takeaways for B2B marketers

Guinness isn’t just a great beer; it’s a masterclass in branding, marketing, and staying power. It has built salience through consistent storytelling, smart campaign longevity, and distinctive brand assets. And it has evolved in ways that reinforce its strengths, rather than abandoning them.

For B2B marketers, the parallels are clear. Build consistency. Commit to your distinctive assets. Give campaigns time to work. Innovate in a way that strengthens, rather than weakens, your brand. Because whether you’re selling pints or portfolio management systems, marketing success shares several fundamentals.

Key Takeaways:

1. How has Guinness maintained strong brand recognition?
Guinness consistently uses storytelling, distinctive brand assets, and smart innovation to stay relevant while maintaining its core identity.

2. Why should B2B brands focus on consistency in marketing?
Consistent branding helps build recognition, trust, and market salience—key in long B2B buying cycles where immediate sales aren’t always the goal.

3. What can B2B marketers learn from Guinness’ product innovation?
Instead of innovating for the sake of it, Guinness evolves to meet customer needs while reinforcing its strengths—something B2B brands should emulate.

References:

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