'Corporate bullying': Abrdn CIO slams press' jabs at the company's rebranded name

On November 11, 2021, the headquarters of abrdn Plc in Edinburgh, United Kingdom was located on St Andrew Square.

Jonne Roriz, a photographer for Bloomberg, captured the images in this article. They were taken in Getty Images.

Peter Branner, the Chief Investment Officer of Abrdn, expressed his view that the media's criticisms of the company's new name, which was formerly 'Standard Life Aberdeen,' is an act of "corporate bullying."

In April 2021, the company revealed its new name, but it has been continuously mocked, made fun of, and teased by the press ever since.

The company issued a statement explaining that their name should be pronounced "Aberdeen" without omitting any vowels. They rebranded to signify their progress in changing the company and their focus on future expansion. The CEO referred to the new brand name as contemporary, energetic, and interesting.

During a recent interview with Financial News, Branner criticized the media's constant mockery of the name as "immature." He urged journalists to refrain from making jokes about it too often.

He expressed his awareness that companies often bully the press as a tactic, although he finds their constant emphasis on the absent vowels in their brand name to be immature.

He mentioned that individuals wouldn't be treated like this, however, the media appears to follow contrasting rules when dealing with businesses.

"Imagine if someone did that to you personally? What would you think of a person who continually teased you about your birthday? It's not really acceptable behavior. However, it seems that when it comes to corporations, the rules are different," he stated.

On Tuesday, a representative from Abrdn shared with CNBC that they acknowledge the media's ability to independently evaluate which companies they choose to report on.