What’s in a name?

In the case of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, it didn’t really provide a clear picture or tell the whole story.

So the organization that bills itself as “The Voice of Arizona Business For 30 Years” is now the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Jim Apperson, the chamber’s president and CEO, said the addition of “industry,” plus a new logo, is what advertising and marketing gurus call “rebranding.”

“At a board retreat a year ago, we were talking about things to do in the upcoming year, and that was the start of our rebranding exercise,” Mr. Apperson said. “We had our logo for at least 12 years, so we thought maybe we ought to think about that — punch things up. We went through a fairly exhaustive process.”

Marc Osborn, with R&R Partners, which has a major presence in the state, offered to help with a self examination of “who are you and what do you do.”

Confusion With Tourism

“What we are,” Mr. Apperson said, “is a statewide business-oriented public policy advocacy group working on behalf of all business. It was felt that many people relate the chamber of commerce to a tourism information service. We don’t focus on tourism activity and information services. When we get calls about tourism, we refer them to the Arizona Office of Tourism or to a local chamber of commerce. We love tourism and we work with the tourism industry, but we came to the conclusion that it was time to change our name.”

Since 1974, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce has been representing the broad interests of the state’s business community at the state Capitol, with state regulators and with members of Arizona’s congressional delegation, Mr. Apperson said. Its members employ 250,000 Arizonans in all business sectors from manufacturing to services, including small, medium and large employers from urban, suburban and rural areas.

“We focus on public policy issues and we represent industry, high tech, manufacturing, utilities, banks, health care, the media — everybody,” Mr. Apperson said. “Let me emphasize that we work closely with local chambers of commerce on public policy matters, but we don’t tell them what to do. It’s a great partnership.”

In its short form, the organization still will be known as the Arizona Chamber, Mr. Apperson said. “We’ll continue to use that. It’s a very positive thing, and the new name better defines who we are and what we do. —