Brands: Is AT&T About to Ditch a "Cool, Young, Brand?"

AT&T will soon be the official owner of BellSouth which owns Cingular, the mobile phone company with that enigmatic, organgey jacks-like figure as a logo. AdAge reports that by 2007 Cingular's name and logo will give way to the AT&T moniker, a move that critics assail as foolish given the equity of Cingular's identity and its youthful appeal. I have to say, it concerns me as well. AT&T reportedly argues that it provides an "elegant" bundled solution. Where are the consumers clamoring for an "elegant" bundled solution? Anyway, the notion of bundled services hasn't been successful in the past---why drag it out again now, particularly when the Cingular brand is a winner? Okay, AT&T, repeat after me: line extension is not the best way to build a brand, line extension is not the best way to build a brand, line extension is...oh, what's the use.