The debate surrounding the renaming of military bases has been a contentious issue for quite some time, and the decision to rename Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty has caused a ripple effect across the community. While the name change is intended to better reflect the values of the community, it may have unintended consequences for businesses that have built their brand around the name "Bragg."
Fort Bragg is a major military installation located in North Carolina, and its name has become synonymous with the military in the area. Over the years, many businesses have incorporated the name "Bragg" into their branding, from restaurants to retail stores to local service providers. These businesses have established themselves as part of the community and have built a loyal customer base. Unfortunately, the decision to rename Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty will require many of these businesses to rebrand, which can be a costly and time-consuming process.
Unfortunately no one in government had the foresight to plan to help business owners.
According to Dave Maestas who owns a national veteran owned marketing agency called Discover Maestro, "One of the most significant impacts of the name change is the effect it will have on businesses' online presence. Companies that have built their brand around the name "Bragg" will need to update their website, social media profiles, and business listings to reflect the new name. This process can be time-consuming, especially for businesses with a significant online presence. It can also be costly, particularly for small businesses that rely on their online presence to drive sales." David Maestas continues, "Most businesses are unaware of the significance of a name change of a business and how it can impact their traffic both online and in person. Visit ListingPros.biz to learn how to get some help."
Another significant impact of the name change is the effect it will have on search engine optimization (SEO). Companies that have built their brand around the name "Bragg" have likely invested significant resources into optimizing their online presence for search engines. This includes incorporating keywords related to the name "Bragg" into their website content and meta tags. With the name change, these businesses will need to update their SEO strategy, which will be a costly and time-consuming process. Dave Maestas states, "The amount spent to update everything and rank higher on keywords can easily be a $10,000+ expense. The amount of lost revenue will more than likely be higher over time."
In addition to the online impact, the name change will also have a significant impact on businesses' physical presence. Companies that have incorporated the name "Bragg" into their branding will need to update their signage, marketing materials, logos and any other physical items that feature the old name. This process can be costly, particularly for businesses with a significant physical presence, such as retail stores or restaurants. Business licenses may need to be updated. Don't forget your business cards.
One business owner who didn’t wish to be named stated, “It clearly shows that some politicians have no clue what it takes to run a business and build a brand. Those politicians that own a business should have known better and planned for compensation for local business owners around bases that have name changes.”
So what can you do? Call your congressman and ask why they didn’t do anything to help compensate business owners for this unexpected expense.
Consult an attorney to start a class action lawsuit. The fact that the politicians didn’t take into account the burden of unexpected expenses for these changes on a business that is already plagued by high inflation and other economic issues shows a disconnect that needs to be fixed.
As the community moves forward with the name change, it will be important to support these businesses during this challenging time as government at all levels has failed to consider the impact on them.
We hope to have DiscoverFortBragg.com renamed to DiscoverFortLiberty.com soon. Yes, it's an expense we weren't planning on as well.
Here is a list of 30 businesses that we could find.
- Bragg's Auto Sales - Fayetteville
- Bragg Bedding & Furniture - Spring Lake
- Bragg & Company Real Estate - Fayetteville
- Bragg Plumbing Company - Southern Pines
- Bragg Mutual Federal Credit Union - Fayetteville
- Bragg's Pie Factory - Fayetteville
- Bragg's Heating & Cooling - Fayetteville
- Bragg About It Catering - Fayetteville
- Bragg's Lawn Care - Fayetteville
- Bragg Motor Service - Fayetteville
- Bragg Insurance Agency - Fayetteville
- Bragg Financial Advisors - Southern Pines
- Bragg's Seafood Restaurant - Fayetteville
- Bragg Grading & Landscaping - Spring Lake
- Bragg's Bail Bonding - Fayetteville
- Bragg N East Barber Shop - Fayetteville
- Bragg Paws - Fayetteville
- Bragg Mutual Hardware - Fayetteville
- Bragg Elementary School - Fayetteville
- Bragg's Tree Service - Fayetteville
- Bragg's Body Shop - Fayetteville
- Bragg's Cleaners - Fayetteville
- Bragg Road Veterinary Clinic - Fayetteville
- Bragg's Discount Furniture - Fayetteville
- Bragg Builders - Southern Pines
- Bragg Farms - Fayetteville
- Bragg N East Package Store - Fayetteville
- Bragg's Army-Navy Surplus - Fayetteville
- Bragg Glass & Mirror - Fayetteville
- Bragg's Mini Storage - Fayetteville
- DiscoverFortBragg.com
No doubt there are many more.