Avenue A/Razorfish Simplifies Its Name

Life has just gotten a little bit easier for one of the biggest digital agencies (and the journalists who cover it).

Microsoft-owned Avenue A/Razorfish has decided to drop the first half of its cumbersome name, rebranding solely as Razorfish. The Seattle-based agency has been known by the full name since 2004, when Avenue A parent aQuantive acquired SBI.Razorfish and combined the companies’ agency brands.

At the time of the merger, the shop consisted of just 800 people in 11 U.S. offices. Today, it boasts more than 2,200 people in 20 offices across six countries. In a release, Razorfish executives said the dual name was no longer necessary to describe the agency or its work.

“For four years we have operated as a single agency with integrated capabilities in the global marketplace, and we don’t need two names anymore,” Razorfish CEO Clark Kokich said. “Although both Avenue A and Razorfish are excellent choices as standalone brands, the Razorfish name enjoys stronger brand equity around the world.”

Kokich added that shortening the name would “make it easier to do business with us.”

The agency has also launched a new site to recognize the name change. Not all of the agency’s offices will migrate to the new name immediately, but the transition will be completed by early 2009.