Columnist rant on section name change

Orange County Register columnist Jonathan Lansner, who is also president of the Society of American Business Editors and Writers, has a column this morning where he goes off on the name change of his section from “Business” to “Marketplace.” The name change was instituted by business editor Glenn Hall.

Lansner writes, “But, Glenn, it’s our refreshed product that hones the Register’s ability to track Orange County’s economic machine that should break the stigma. Not slapping “Marketplace” on superior business coverage.

“Just to be sure, I bounced our branding concept off a few folks outside my shop who know marketing. To be kind, they were unmoved.

“‘I’m not a traditionalist when it comes to branding, but I am a traditionalist when it comes to newspapers. And the business section is the business section,’ says ad wizard Richard Zien, part of the brain trust that helped dream up the provocative Carl’s Jr. image.

“‘Marketplace? That’s the place I go to with my wife on Saturday to shop.'”

Read the column here.