After More Than A Century Campbell’s Soup Company Changes It’s Name

Maybe it's me, but I believe in the old saying "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The legendary Campbell's Soup Company was founded in 1869 when the company name was Anderson & Campbell. In 1922, they changed the name to its current Campbell's Soup.

Why Is Campbell's Soup Changing Its Name?

Fast forward 102 years later, the iconic food company has announced it's changing the name of the famous brand for the third time. It's "part of its evolution," says the Camden, N.J., based food giant. The new name? The Campbell’s Company.

It's kinda crazy to think that a company that built a multi-billion dollar food empire making soup, would drop the name that brought it fortune and fame. But, that's exactly what the Jersey-born food giant is doing. There was no other reason given as to what sparked the name change other than what was previously mentioned. As reported by NPR.org, similar to Dunkin' Donuts dropping "donuts" for just Dunkin'.

Campbell's is slated to drop "soup" from its iconic logo and replace it with an apostrophe. Simular to Dunkin' Donuts became just Dunkin'.

History Of The Famous Campbell's Soup Can Label

The iconic silkscreen label for Campbell's Soup can was created by renowned artist, film director and producer, Andy Warhol in 1962.
The soup can label is arguably one of the most well-known images of American modern art. Warhol initially created the artwork in 1962 as a series of thirty-two canvases. That same year, his paintings were put on exhibit in a grocery store and displayed together to look like products on a shelf.

Each canvas featured a different flavor and resembled the actual red and white Campbell’s Soup cans, which were already well-known grocery items. Warhol's handiwork was evident through slight variations in the lettering and the hand-stamped fleur-de-lis symbols on the bottom of each can.

Warhol explained where he got the inspiration for his Campbell's painting from his own love of the soup. A friend suggested that he paint something he seen every day and something everyone would recognize. He said,

“I used to drink it. I used to have the same lunch every day, for 20 years, I guess, the same thing over and over again.”

Amazingly, the Campbell’s Soup art exhibit by Warhol was widely contested as some viewers felt it was too repetitive. However, Warhol didn't let the negative opinions sway his decision to mass produce his Pop Art. In 1968 he created two new portfolios of Campbell’s Soup Can silk screen prints. Campbell's CEO Mark Clouse said of the name change as the company adopts a

"new strategy [and] new mission." He added “This subtle yet important change retains the company’s iconic name recognition, reputation, and equity built over 155 years while better reflecting the full breadth of the company’s portfolio.”

Campbell's name change is will not happen overnight. Clouse said company shareholder's have to approve it first and that won't happen until November. What do you think? Should Campbell's drop the word "soup" from its soup cans or no? Let us know in the comments.

In my opinion, if it has been working for more than 102 years why change it? Evolving means you keep the things that work and fix the things that don't. Here's a fun fact. Campbell's owns more than just a soup company. They also operate other companies and manufacture foods under these familiar brands V8, Pepperidge Farm, and Prego.