GoTo/Overture--Why?

Can I get a good answer?

[dwampus]

Now that we've all had a chance to form our humble opinions, can someone please tell me why you think GoTo, which has done a tremendous job providing "a name" (brand awareness, entity, etc.) would just "up and change" to Overture? Can I get a good answer?

[legster]

Welcome to WmW dwampus!

Personally, I think this was a stupid move. Everyday I come into work and I type goto.com in my address bar. It's so easy to reach, and of course they still redirect. I just can't see how they think this was a good idea. When I mention the word Goto to my co-workers they all understand. When I say Overture they look at me like I'm nuts. Something tells me they will still be looking at me like I'm nuts in a year from now. :(

hehe

[rcaretti]

I'm not sure about why they've changed their name, but I did find this in GoTo's Quarterly report (10-Q) on Yahoo.

"In April 2001, GoTo entered into an agreement with a third-party where GoTo agreed to assign its rights in the GoTo name to such third-party, and to change its name by September 15, 2001"

The yahoo link is [biz.yahoo.com...]

[adamxcl]

I read most of the report but it still doesn't make sense. No matter how much money you make or whatever is in an agreement, why change from a known branded name to something that no ones knows? Do they think that they will get new customers from people who didn't like GoTo? As if they would think it's another company?

[PostScript]

A more detailed lowdown [biz.yahoo.com] on 3Q profits from the same source includes the following:

"New Corporate Name

On Oct. 8, 2001, the company officially changed its name to Overture. Overture was chosen based on its ability to communicate the company's compelling advertiser and affiliate partner benefits. One definition of ``overture'' is an introduction, and therefore, it is a metaphor for the targeted introductions the company facilitates between its thousands of advertisers and the millions of consumers who use its affiliate partner sites.

Over the past year, Overture has generated more than 1 billion targeted, paid introductions.

Overture decided to change its name late last year. The company was seeking a name that better described its value proposition and that did not exist in such a crowded space as the GoTo name. The company also faced the threat of litigation had the company not changed its name."

An equally interesting little snippet:

"Overture plans to launch its German marketplace in the first quarter of 2002."

[Brett_Tabke]

Goto? Say it to your self a few times. What's it mean? Nothing. It evokes, nothing.
Look at the old colors: basic yellow and green. Yellow pages and traffic lights.

The word Goto? Generic. Overused. Short Nondescrip. No substance. No depth. No style. No grace. No class. No charisma.

The yellow, the green, and the Goto.com branding represented the fast food flea market of search engines.

That all came about because of the name and the branding.

Even so, I'm surprised they had the guts to dump it. I think I would have went with a spin off and established a whole new upscale engine based on new branding.

Litigation? They'd already socked Go.com for the color and logo. I think they could have beaten any comers in that department.

[corvo]

while you say goto.com fails in inspire any feeling, it had been branded. that is where the name change is confusing on the face of it. they have put time, money, whatever into making goto.com recognisable, and they have justy changed the brand now.

it fails to make sense, but since their traffic has increased, it doesn't seem to have done them any harm.

[tedster]

I got these notepads in the mail from Overture, and they feature the tag line "search performance" under their logo.

As far as I can see, that is a really washed out phrase that does nothing to brand or identify Overture. It sounds more like they're competing with Ink and AV in the corporate search technology market -- and that's not what they're up to, as far as I know.