Ziff Davis: Brand Identity Conundrum

Ziff Davis Enterprise, a print and online technology publishing business once part of Ziff Davis Media, must now be thinking twice about its identity brand strategy.

(Disclosure: I had worked for Ziff Davis Media‘s enterprise division, for six years when it was sold to Insight Venture Partners, a venture firm, in July 2007. I worked ever so briefly (two weeks) at Ziff Davis Enterprise before coming on board at ClickZ.)

Ziff Davis Media‘s decision to file for bankruptcy protection this last week had the folks at Ziff Davis Enterprise scurrying to engage in brand identity damage control.

Acknowledging the potential confusion between the two companies, Ziff Davis Enterprise CEO Steve Weitzner posted a statement: “Ziff Davis Enterprise and Ziff Davis Media are not the same company.” It’s now up to Weitzner’s sales team to reinforce that message with advertisers as it looks to expand its business online and elsewhere.

When Insight Ventures Partner acquired the Ziff properties last year, it appeared it wanted to trade on the reputation of a company well known in technology publishing circles.

Should it have been more sensitive to Ziff Davis Media‘s looming financial troubles? Hindsight, as they say, is 20/20.