Facebook officially changed its company name to Meta on October 28, 2021. This rebranding came as Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg outlined his vision for the metaverse and the company’s evolution beyond its social media roots.
When did Facebook announce it was changing its name?
Zuckerberg first announced that Facebook would be changing its name during the company’s annual Connect conference on October 28, 2021. During his keynote presentation, Zuckerberg explained that Facebook would be evolving from a social media company into a metaverse company, reflecting its work to develop augmented and virtual reality technologies.
“Right now our brand is so tightly linked to one product that it can’t possibly represent everything that we’re doing today, let alone in the future,” Zuckerberg said during the announcement. “Over time, I hope that we are seen as a metaverse company.”
When did the official rebranding to Meta take effect?
While Zuckerberg unveiled the new Meta name at the end of October, it took some additional time for the rebranding to become official. On December 1, 2021, Facebook’s stock ticker symbol changed from FB to MVRS. This marked the official transition of Facebook, Inc. to Meta Platforms, Inc.
Here is a timeline of key dates for Facebook’s rebranding to Meta:
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 28, 2021 | Mark Zuckerberg announces the Meta name change at Facebook Connect |
| October 28, 2021 | Facebook.com domain changes to Meta.com |
| November 2, 2021 | Meta stock ticker MVRS starts trading on NASDAQ |
| December 1, 2021 | Facebook officially changes its corporate name to Meta Platforms, Inc. |
Why did Facebook change its name to Meta?
There were a few key reasons behind Facebook’s major rebranding effort:
- To reflect the company’s focus on building the metaverse. Facebook sees the metaverse as the next evolution of social connection and wants to establish itself as a leader in creating virtual spaces.
- To encompass Facebook’s broader business interests. Beyond social media, Meta also owns Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus, and more.
- To overcome Facebook’s damaged reputation. The Facebook name has become associated with scandals and controversies related to misinformation, data privacy, election interference, and more. Rebranding provides an opportunity to turn the page.
By changing its name to Meta, the company aims to be associated more with its metaverse vision than its social media legacy. However, critics have accused the rebrand of being an effort to divert attention away from Facebook’s ongoing issues.
How was the new Meta name and branding revealed?
Meta’s new corporate identity and visual style was unveiled alongside the official name change announcement in October 2021. The new Meta logo features a blue infinity symbol surrounding the word “Meta” in Meta’s newly developed Meta Serif font. The infinity shape is meant to symbolize the metaverse having endless possibilities.
In addition to the new Meta corporate logo, each of the company’s individual brands and apps got a visual refresh to align with the new parent company’s style. For example, the Facebook app icon switched from Facebook’s iconic blue F symbol to stylized wordmark reading “facebook.” However, the apps retained their original names.
What has changed since the transition to Meta?
The Meta rebranding was primarily an outward-facing change to reflect the company’s future direction rather than an overhaul of its core functionality. Most Facebook users did not experience significant differences after the transition.
Some of the key changes under Meta so far include:
- Stock ticker changing from FB to MVRS
- Updated branding and logos across Facebook properties and hardware
- An increased emphasis on metaverse-related announcements and products
- No name change for the Facebook app or platform itself
While Facebook’s corporate structure has been reshaped under Meta, the Facebook app and its other social media platforms retain their original purposes. The metaverse vision driving the rebranding remains largely conceptual and aspirational at this stage.
Has public perception of Meta changed compared to Facebook?
In the months since the Meta rebranding, public attitudes toward the company have remained predominantly negative. According to polls, most people still refer to Meta as Facebook rather than its new corporate name.
Some surveys found initial confusion about what Meta was and how it related to Facebook. However, recognition of the new brand name has steadily increased over time. Critics argue the rebranding was too subtle to significantly detach the company from its past reputation issues though.
While Meta aims to be associated more with the metaverse going forward, perceptions are strongly tied to Facebook’s legacy. Addressing ongoing concerns around data privacy, election integrity, and mental health impacts may be necessary for Meta to fundamentally alter its public image over time.
Conclusion
Facebook officially rebranded itself as Meta on October 28, 2021, reflecting the company’s evolution beyond social media into developing the future metaverse. While the name change signals Meta’s long-term ambitions, it has so far had a limited impact on the company’s core products and public perception. With the metaverse still emerging, the true implications of Facebook’s transformation into a metaverse company remain to be seen.