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Do you know your Dfids from your Dfees? Do you know your Dfids from your Dfees?
(about 2 hours later)
The Department for International Development (Dfid) is to be rebranded UKaid, to boost public awareness of its role. Why is marketing government departments so difficult?The Department for International Development (Dfid) is to be rebranded UKaid, to boost public awareness of its role. Why is marketing government departments so difficult?
A new name for (part of) the Home OfficeA new name for (part of) the Home Office
Pity the branding whizz kid who came up with the idea of changing the name of the Department of Trade and Industry to the Department for Productivity, Energy and Industry in 2005.Pity the branding whizz kid who came up with the idea of changing the name of the Department of Trade and Industry to the Department for Productivity, Energy and Industry in 2005.
The adjustment only lasted a week, until its new head Alan Johnson said the acronym DPEI had prompted "various descriptions...penis and dippy".The adjustment only lasted a week, until its new head Alan Johnson said the acronym DPEI had prompted "various descriptions...penis and dippy".
So it reverted to DTI, at a cost of £30,0000. So it reverted to DTI, at a cost of £30,000.
Two years later it was split into the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform, the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department of Energy and Climate Change. No embarrassing acronyms there.Two years later it was split into the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform, the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department of Energy and Climate Change. No embarrassing acronyms there.
The new logo for the Department of International DevelopmentThe new logo for the Department of International Development
Now it's the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Dbis) under Lord Mandelson. But doing a web search you need to type the old acronym, "dberr", to find it.Now it's the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Dbis) under Lord Mandelson. But doing a web search you need to type the old acronym, "dberr", to find it.
Confused? It's not surprising. These name changes for government departments seem to be happening with some growing regularity, usually as responsibilities change hands.Confused? It's not surprising. These name changes for government departments seem to be happening with some growing regularity, usually as responsibilities change hands.
But the latest headache for Whitehall stationery contractors is a purely strategic one, at the Department for International Development (Dfid), which has been rebranded as UKaid.But the latest headache for Whitehall stationery contractors is a purely strategic one, at the Department for International Development (Dfid), which has been rebranded as UKaid.
"The name of the department remains the same but what's changed is that we have a UKaid logo," says a spokesperson."The name of the department remains the same but what's changed is that we have a UKaid logo," says a spokesperson.
The two names sit together, he adds, and the reason behind the move is to increase awareness of what the department does, both in the UK and in areas where the aid arrives.The two names sit together, he adds, and the reason behind the move is to increase awareness of what the department does, both in the UK and in areas where the aid arrives.
It must pass the Ronseal test Branding expert Jonathan GabayIt must pass the Ronseal test Branding expert Jonathan Gabay
It's a decision made with some merit, says branding expert Jonathan Gabay. "Anything that will make government departments more transparent must be a good thing."It's a decision made with some merit, says branding expert Jonathan Gabay. "Anything that will make government departments more transparent must be a good thing."
Mr Gabay's main bugbear is the tendency for shrinking these long, cumbersome titles into pithy acronyms. What they gain in brevity they lose in comprehension.Mr Gabay's main bugbear is the tendency for shrinking these long, cumbersome titles into pithy acronyms. What they gain in brevity they lose in comprehension.
"There are too many quangos and organisations with these acronyms and all it achieves is to heighten the sense of general mistrust."There are too many quangos and organisations with these acronyms and all it achieves is to heighten the sense of general mistrust.
"It must pass the Ronseal test. Does it say exactly what is inside the tin? Acronyms don't mean anything to anyone, so calling it 'UKaid' works. It sounds very charitable to me.""It must pass the Ronseal test. Does it say exactly what is inside the tin? Acronyms don't mean anything to anyone, so calling it 'UKaid' works. It sounds very charitable to me."
FROM DES TO DCSF, IN 4 STEPS 1992: Department of Education and Science (DES) became Department for Education (DFE)1995: Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) 2001: Department for Education and Skills (DfES) 2007: Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)FROM DES TO DCSF, IN 4 STEPS 1992: Department of Education and Science (DES) became Department for Education (DFE)1995: Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) 2001: Department for Education and Skills (DfES) 2007: Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)
Projecting a charitable image might not be to everyone's liking, he says, but at least the new word is in accessible language, whereas Dfid doesn't say anything. "It just sounds Welsh."Projecting a charitable image might not be to everyone's liking, he says, but at least the new word is in accessible language, whereas Dfid doesn't say anything. "It just sounds Welsh."
The logo image is quite conservative, Mr Gabay thinks, but if they had opted for something like a helping hand, then that would have brought its own connotations of handouts, so it's difficult to get it right.The logo image is quite conservative, Mr Gabay thinks, but if they had opted for something like a helping hand, then that would have brought its own connotations of handouts, so it's difficult to get it right.
But with rebranding happening all the time in the commercial sector, why does it become so difficult when applied to government departments? Because everyone feels they have a stake and therefore an opinion, says Mr Gabay, and there are sensitivities that don't exist if you're selling Coca-Cola.But with rebranding happening all the time in the commercial sector, why does it become so difficult when applied to government departments? Because everyone feels they have a stake and therefore an opinion, says Mr Gabay, and there are sensitivities that don't exist if you're selling Coca-Cola.
"Everyone is looking for a sense of identity and looking to say to people 'This is what we are about, this is what our purpose is.'""Everyone is looking for a sense of identity and looking to say to people 'This is what we are about, this is what our purpose is.'"
One department that has undergone several name changes is the Department for Children, Schools and Families, which covers England.One department that has undergone several name changes is the Department for Children, Schools and Families, which covers England.
MnemonicsMnemonics
Eyebrows were raised in some quarters when, for the first time, it lost the word "education" from its title in 2007, when the Department for Education and Skills lost its responsibility for universities and skills but gained control of issues like child obesity, school sports and youth crime.Eyebrows were raised in some quarters when, for the first time, it lost the word "education" from its title in 2007, when the Department for Education and Skills lost its responsibility for universities and skills but gained control of issues like child obesity, school sports and youth crime.
One mnemonic adopted to help people remember the new name was "Department for Curtains and Soft Furnishings", while Children's Secretary Ed Balls said his personal preference was "Washington DC - science fiction".One mnemonic adopted to help people remember the new name was "Department for Curtains and Soft Furnishings", while Children's Secretary Ed Balls said his personal preference was "Washington DC - science fiction".
But there is not an endless supply of acronyms. Staff at the DCMS have to use "culture" in their e-mail addresses because "dcms" is already taken, although no one can remember what it actually stood for.But there is not an endless supply of acronyms. Staff at the DCMS have to use "culture" in their e-mail addresses because "dcms" is already taken, although no one can remember what it actually stood for.
Some departments will probably never change, so embedded are they in common parlance. So stationery supervisors at the Treasury and the Home Office can breathe easy for now.Some departments will probably never change, so embedded are they in common parlance. So stationery supervisors at the Treasury and the Home Office can breathe easy for now.