Which Brand Age Do You Celebrate? Start Date or Acquired Date

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January 26, 2026

by a searcher from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Kenan-Flagler Business School in Austin, TX, USA

For those that have already acquired a business (or ten), do you use the year you acquired the business or the year the business started when celebrating the business' tradition and longevity? Does it depend on whether you keep the business name or use a new/different business name? If the business start date, how do you reconcile the incorporation date to your (B2B) customers?
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Reply by a searcher
from Texas A&M University in Austin, TX, USA
I use the date the business started. This honors the longest-term team members and customers, which are the heart and soul of the brand.
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Reply by a searcher
from University of New Mexico in Jackson, WY, USA
I echo the sentiments others have shared—I would definitely lean on the year the company started. That honors all of the hard work, rich history, and relationships that preceded this most recent chapter of the company’s existence. For both B2B and B2C companies, customers and clients find a lot of comfort in longevity. And for the types of companies and industries that most searchers gravitate to, success is rooted in stability rather than being positioned as up-and-coming disruptors. As a quick thought experiment, would you rather depend on a plumbing company that was founded in 1968 or 2026? A consulting firm that dates to 1985 or one that just began?
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