Branding Blunders

Right now, I can think of at least 3 Blunders in Branding. Multi-Billion dollar missteps.

First is the Cingular buying AT&T Wireless and re-branding it as Cingular. Then re-branding Cingular as at&t this year. Billions wasted. Diluted brand.

Second is Sprint spending $36B to buy Nextel - its iDen push-to-talk network as well as its high ARPU business customers. Eventually, Sprint can't integrate it. The network is de-valued. The high value customers leave. And Sprint buries the brand name Nextel. R.I.P.

Third is coming amid rumors that Cisco is going to bury the Linksys name.