There’s a decent chance you missed the news back in May — there was, after all, a lot going on at the time. General Electric sold off its more than 100-year-old GE Lighting division to smart home company Savant. Today, the division’s new owner is announcing a key rebranding effort, six months after the initial deal.
Clearly there’s still value in the GE name, even divorced of its original parent company. In its new home, the C by GE line is getting a rebrand, however. Seems totally reasonable — C by GE was never the most straightforward name. Going forward, the line will be rebranded as “Cync” — which, if not better is, at the very least different.
Along with the change in ownership, the name connotes a broadening of scope — that much was probably an inevitability under Savant. GE Lighting is becoming a larger smart home brand in its new home. CES, which kicks off next week, will find the company introducing a new thermostat and a range of outdoor products, including a new smart plug. The brand will also introduce a connected camera and fan speed switch.
The new products will test the value of the GE Lighting brand name, both outside of General Electric and beyond just lighting. The smart home category is already a crowded one (and has been for years), and Savant’s going up against offerings from big names like Amazon’s Ring.
The new Cync app will arrive in March, bringing with it “a more user-friendly and customizable experience that enhances comfort, control and confidence,” according to Savant. More news next week at CES.
