RadioShack would like you to call it 'The Shack'

Apparently the 'Radio" in the name sounds too old-timey, so RadioShack is re-branding itself as 'The Shack' - a move that doesn't just happen overnight:

Analysts say that a brand overhaul requires lots of time and capital — and consumer acceptance.

Sales of sports drink Gatorade have suffered since changing its name to "G" in January. After a test earlier this year to change its name to The Hut, Pizza Hut is sticking with its original.

There's also risk involved, especially as the company markets itself as The Shack but operates its 4,450 U.S. retail outlets as RadioShack. The company's logo also will go unchanged.

Martin Bishop, director of brand strategy for the San Francisco office of design and branding firm Landor Associates, says there's a logic to what RadioShack is doing. " 'Radio' sounds old-fashioned, and they want to sound cutting edge," he says.

But Bishop warns of possible trouble. When Federal Express changed its name to FedEx, he says, "FedEx had no other meaning than Federal Express. With The Shack, there is a contrived familiarity that I'm not sure is helpful."

Yeah, I don't know about you but "The Shack" conjures up images of leaky tin rooftops and dirt roads for me - not exactly the techno-savvy image I think they're hoping for...

Anyway, I posted all that to get to this gem, one of my favorite current ads:





(Courtesy of USA Today, YouTube, and Radioshack)