Will Campbell Soup's Rebranding Make a Difference If It's Approved?

The Campbell Soup Company is considering a significant rebranding, proposing to drop "soup" from its name in favor of "The Campbell’s Company." CEO Mark Clouse suggested this change to shareholders earlier this week, aiming for approval at the annual meeting in November.

The move reflects Campbell’s broadening product range beyond soup, with nearly 50% of sales now coming from snack brands like Goldfish and Snyder’s of Hanover. Under Clouse’s leadership since 2019, Campbell has diversified its offerings and enhanced its meal and beverage products, including sauces and the newly acquired Rao’s brand.

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, with snacks projected to grow by 3% to 4% this year compared to a modest 1% to 2% increase in meals and beverages and flat soup sales, according to Campbell, the rebranding is intended to better represent the company’s evolving portfolio while maintaining its long-standing reputation.

Retail brands that decide to rebrand are fairly common and often successful; however, the change is usually minimal or mostly relegated to visual aesthetics such as logos and designs. Campbell Soup has decided to drop an entire word from its name, and it might not make a difference for the overall brand, but could it have a negative effect on the perception of Campbell's soup products?

Another brand that pulled a similar move is Dunkin'. Founded in the 1950s as a donut shop, Dunkin’ Donuts adapted to shifting consumer preferences in the 1990s and 2000s, which favored healthier options and coffee over donuts. By 2011, Dunkin’ was outselling Starbucks in coffee sales in the U.S., according to Pony Studio. To align with its new focus, the company dropped “Donuts” from its name in 2019, marking a major shift in its branding strategy.

As part of a "$100 million brand refresh plan," which featured updated store designs and an emphasis on mobile ordering, Dunkin' rebranded to position itself as a beverage-focused, on-the-go brand. The company saw coffee sales rise from 1.6 billion cups in 2019 to 4.4 billion in 2021 following the change.

With all the successful rebranding efforts out there, there have also been some failed attempts.

In January 2009, Tropicana, a PepsiCo brand, undertook a major rebranding effort for its Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice, aiming to align with market trends. Per ELVTR, the redesign involved removing the orange and straw imagery from the packaging, "replacing it with a large clear glass of juice," and positioning the logo vertically. The designers also eliminated the "No pulp" label, which previously emphasized the product’s uniqueness. The updated packaging instead highlighted the message: "100% Orange Pure and Natural."

This $35 million redesign quickly faced backlash from consumers, who quickly "started criticizing the new design, calling it 'ugly' and 'silly.' Many said that Tropicana's premium juice resembled 'an ordinary discounted product from a cheap supermarket.'"

Just two months later, Tropicana's sales dropped by 20% and the company lost $30 million dollars. In response to the negative feedback, Tropicana switched back to its original design in February 2009, retaining only a new "orange" cap.

In addition to the proposed name change, Campbell is introducing new soups aimed at younger consumers, such as Ghost Pepper Chicken Noodle and Nashville-Style Hot Chicken soups. The company is also focusing on updating its lower-sodium Healthy Request line to appeal to health-conscious older consumers, who remain a key segment despite recent declines in soup sales.