Well, we gave it a day and the Internet has spoken: Strategy& is anything but a hit. As we all know, this isn't the first time PwC has made an unfortunate naming choice.
Let's ignore the fact that on its own, "Strategy&" looks more like a typo than a company name. The question everyone was asking today was how the hell do I pronounce this?!
Fret not, PwC thought this through and cleared that up in the press release before you could even ask:
Marking this occasion, Booz & Company has changed its name to Strategy& (pronounced Strategy and). This new name, which will be used alongside the PwC name and brand, reflects the strength in strategy consulting that Booz & Company brings to the PwC Network and the benefits this deal will bring to all clients and stakeholders. After a short grace period, Booz & Company can't legally continue to use the Booz name following the change in ownership.
As Colin pointed out in ANR this morning, what were they going to do, call it PriceBoozerhouse like we all wanted?
Welcoming the Strategy& team to the PwC Network, Dennis Nally, Chairman of PricewaterhouseCoopers International, says, "Today signifies an important step for PwC, our clients and stakeholders. Businesses are navigating unprecedented, disruptive threats and organisations increasingly want the right strategy and the ability to execute it. Together PwC and Strategy& meet this need – delivering superior value to our clients and stakeholders, attracting premium talent and helping businesses around the world build their capabilities on a global scale."
Read Nally's sentence out loud slowly. "Together, PwC and Strategy and…"
Per the Strategy& Twitter account (FYI, the "and" is spelled out), they are "a global team of practical strategists committed to helping you seize essential advantage." Guys, the "strategist" part was explained in your name, what about the and? Strategists and…?
How about when some dude asks you where you work?
"Strategy and"
"Strategy and…?"
"Just Strategy and."
Good luck with that, guys. Maybe Prestige& and Quality& will be enough to save this terrible decision.
