The name game

In one of those moves that makes Houstonist think we really don't know the first thing about marketing, Memorial Hermann Children's Hospital is changing its name to Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital. Ah, yes, of course. The groundbreaking move, according to hospital CEO Steve Allen (no, not that one), is meant to reflect the hospital policy of "putting children first." We can just imagine the hospital's new slogan now: "We put children first. See?" The hospital has also adopted a new logo, which features a playful typeface and makes the "O" in Memorial Hermann into a sun. Aww.

Don't get us wrong — we don't mean to disparage the work Memorial Hermann (or any other hospital) does. And we imagine Memorial Hermann isn't hurting for money, but still, we can't help but wonder: Couldn't the money the hospital spent on switching the words around in its name and designing a new logo have been spent on children's care?