There comes a time in the life of a business when you find that your name no longer serves you as it should. Maybe it's too similar to another brand, maybe it's mispronounced, or maybe it's simply holding you back from growing. Whatever the reason, rebranding is a challenge that comes with difficult decisions, risks and costs, but also a chance to take your brand to the next level. Forendors (formerly Pickey) has been through it all - and we've been there. We spoke to Denisa Hrubešová, co-founder of the brand, about the creation of Pickey and the transition to Forendors.
"Our first lawyer advised us well that we needed to register a trademark as soon as possible. But creative ideas were missing. So, we used a random word generator and chose Indity," Denisa Hrubešová recalls.
A month later, a notice came from Spain: the name Indity was too similar to an existing brand. Denisa and David found themselves back at square one - a week before the launch of the platform, they didn't have a name. Eventually, they came up with the name Pickey, which they registered straight away. But that didn't work either: “It was easy to pronounce, but it was hard to refer to in podcasts. In retrospect, we should have poured a lot more money into it at the beginning - which we didn't have at the time.”
After two years, Pickey ran into another, much more serious problem. A Benelux company came forward with a very similar name. Their claim? To pull out of those markets. But it had unexpected consequences. "We didn't realise that we would cut off people who study, work or travel there. In the end, we turned the services back on in the Benelux - and decided to sort it out once and for all," says Denisa.
At that moment, we stepped into the game to take the reins and lead the Czech founders to a final and meaningful solution. We averted a looming dispute and negotiated an eight-month rebranding deadline. The race against time has begun.
Do you need to deal with trademarks? Take advantage of EU grants with us. Contact us.
Finding a new name is not easy - especially in the online world where most names and trademarks are already taken. "Our first brand manager brought us about 300 suggestions in four months - and nothing," Denisa recalls. Eventually, it was Michal Pastier who helped, coming up with Forendors - a clever pun referring to supporters (FOR ENDORSement).
But the name is always only part of the puzzle. The categories in which the trademark is registered are also key aspects. If your project falls into category 42, online services, start your legal research into possible names and environments early.
Rebranding is not just about the name, but also about a complete change of identity, communication strategy and legal security. The whole process took about a year and a half and cost around 750 000 CZK. But it could have been much less if the right choice had been made at the beginning.
"If I were going to start a new business, I would borrow money from the bank to get the best brand manager and lawyer, do proper research and wait six months for the trademark to be registered," Denisa sums up her experience.
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Forendors (still Pickey at the time) wanted to communicate the brand change in a sensitive and clever way - so they threw a party for their creators. At the event, they unveiled not only the new name, but also the mobile app.
"The app had a great response, the rebranding not so much. Nobody wants a change. But by having the sausages, lots of alcohol and the party, we could discuss the objections with people straight away," laughs Denisa.
The best rebranding is the one you don't need at all. Careful analysis, research and registration of your trademark in key markets can save you not only nerves but most importantly money in the future.
"When you're at the beginning of a business, you don't think through 99 % of the things," says Denisa. "I didn't sleep for 8 months because of it.”
💡 TIP: If you're starting a business, or have doubts that your name is legal-safe, now is the perfect time to take the leap, as the EU announced grants for trademark registrations in February. The grants will cover up to 75 % of the official registration fees. Apply for one with us.
Forendors is a monetization platform that connects creators and their fans so people can make a living online doing what they enjoy. History began to be made during the covid era when people pulled back from offline. Forendors helps its creators to build functional communities, they have developed a mobile app and have their own podcast studios.