Google Axes Two Big Brands

Google Axes Blogger, Picasa Brands As Part Of Google+ Social Effort

Google will axe two popular brand names, Mashable has reported.

Blogger and Picasa will be renamed as part of a branding push following the release of Google+, the company's new social network. Blogger will be called Google Blogs and Picasa will become Google Photos.

From Mashable:

"Picasa and Blogger were also Google acquisitions, although both companies have been part of the Google empire for far longer. Picasa was acquired in 2004 and Blogger (co-founded by Evan Williams of Twitter) was acquired in 2003 and is one of the top 10 most visited websites in the world. Although the rebranding could upset some existing customers, it also gives Google the ability to completely integrate both services into Google+."

The move is not without precedent. For example, when Google acquired JotSpot in 2006, the service was renamed Google Sites.

Mashable also reported that while other brands may be subject to a name change, YouTube will not be one of them.

Given that the Google brand has taken some heat recently, we wonder how users will react to the news.