Reebok v/s RBK v/s RBK's

What made Reebok change a memorable and easy-to-pronounce name like Reebok and opt for a non-word? Initials that are brands tend to be two-initial brands. 3 initials rarely work as brand names. Initials that are brands, most memorable ones, can be pronounced as words. RBK can, but only with some difficulty. So why did they do it?

Maybe they expected people to say Aar-B-Kays, which doesn't sound that bad. In which case they should have rebranded themselves as as RBK's. If you want to be an initial you might want to consider being a plural. Plural initials are easier to remember because they're easier to belong to.

In a category like sporting and lifestyle products, the belonging factor can add a lot to building brand equity. If they had come to me, I would have asked them to tag the apostrophe 's' to the initials. The apostrophe would have created a memory cue by way of the visual disruption it causes and the possessive 's' would have engendered a feeling of belonging.

Thankfully for RBK, they didn't go and change the logo. Unfortunately it looks like ADIDAS is going to kill the brand. They shouldn't. What ADIDAS should do is reposition it as a cult, alternative brand.