Weight Watchers is changing its name — here's why
Miss America has dropped its swimsuit competition, the Boy Scouts are ushering in a more gender-neutral name change, and now comes word that Weight Watchers is no more — under that name, anyway.
On Monday morning Weight Watchers CEO and president Mindy Grossman appeared on Today to share an important announcement: The organization will now be known as WW, with the tagline “Wellness That Works.”
A big announcement from Weight Watchers… the company’s CEO and President @mindygrossman announces they will be changing their name and explains why. pic.twitter.com/iD19M57F5k
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 24, 2018
While Grossman noted that the 55-year-old company “will never abdicate our leadership in [being] the best healthy eating program for weight loss in the world,” it’s also looking to expand its offerings to appeal to anyone seeking wellness guidance.
To quote the brand-new WW Twitter account, its goal is to “inspire healthy habits for real life — for everyone.”
Weight Watchers is now WW. We have a mission: to inspire healthy habits for real life—for everyone. We’ll always be the global leader in weight loss. Now we’re becoming the world’s partner in wellness. Learn more: https://t.co/mtCRV10xx2 #WeAreWW pic.twitter.com/2uNqaNYber
— WW (@ww_us) September 24, 2018
In an interview with the BBC, Grossman clarified that WW does not necessarily stand for Weight Watchers. She added that the new name would help the program “stay relevant” while also addressing topics behind shedding pounds.
“The paradox is that everyone is talking about wellness and nobody wants to use [the words] diet or weight, but we’re not getting healthier,” she said.
Whether the rebranding will entail less calorie counting and more Goop-style advice for the masses remains to be seen. It’s also worth noting that Oprah Winfrey owns a significant stake in the company. If anyone can come for Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness queen crown, it’s O.
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