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- I appreciate your thoughts, but I think you're bonkers!
I appreciate your thoughts, but I think you're bonkers!
Rebranding heat pumps as 2-Way ACs generated a lot of discussion - here's what the community had to say
Shreyas Sudhakar
January 03, 2025
In the last issue of this newsletter, we suggested rebranding Heat Pumps as 2-Way ACs. With much of the general public unaware of heat pumps and how they work, could a new name increase awareness?
While many strongly supported the 2-Way AC label, I’d like to focus today on those that weren’t as convinced. There’s lots of useful insight in their voices!
Poll respondents were evenly split on whether they’ll start using 2-Way AC
Why fix what isn’t broken?
Some readers felt the word ‘heat pump’ is already gaining momentum. A chunk of people felt that we should keep focusing energy around the term ‘heat pump’, rather than trying something new.
Let's stick with heat pump.
"Air conditioner" or "furnace" were once foreign words too.
Heat pumps appears to be catching on with regular homeowners. People who have traveled often know what a mini split is, so I use that. I'll try out 2-Way AC and report back!
Shreyas Sudhakar and Nate Adams I appreciate your thoughts and positions. But I think you are both bonkers on this one. In the best possible way. Yes, 2WayAC could make sense for the global majority in warm climates. But that doesn’t mean a global rename is actually needed.
“Heat Pump” is short, simple, and easy to translate. People have gotten used to names for all sorts of everyday items that are familiar but meaningless because “that’s just what we call it”. Add to this the name heat pump is also accurate.
I suggest this is a messaging problem, not a branding problem. And the messaging needs to adapt to the region and need. In hot climates or humid seasons, sure. Call it “2WayAC”. In cold climates or seasons it is “all climate HP”.
How about we step it up a notch, add in ventilation, filtration, etc, and call it HVAC? But somehow that’s been degraded to HAC so that doesn’t help.
My point is that the train has left the station. There is already momentum,. It might take a couple more years for old school HVAC thinkers to catch up. But the public doesn’t really care what a heat pump is called as long as it keeps them comfortable.
Everyone in places where heat pumps are rare: “Heat pumps need a new name” Everyone in the Southeast US, where heat pumps have a 30%+ market share: “I’ve had a heat pump in my house for 20 years, and my parents’ house where I grew up had a heat pump. What’s the big deal?”
— John Semmelhack (@johnsemmelhack.bsky.social)2024-12-23T20:24:42.892Z
One reader points out that the phrase “heat pump” describes exactly how this equipment works! The engineer in me resonates with this, but I am still skeptical that most homeowners can make the connection.
They pump heat into a home or can pump heat out (to cool it)
ACs make things cold
This is what marketing images for ACs often look like
While many people instinctively connect heat pumps with heating, AC has a natural association with cooling. Will it be too challenging to associate AC with something that heats, too?
In heating-dominated areas, using "AC" (as in "2-way AC")to refer to folk's home heater is... going to add, not remove, confusion. Words are hard!
Someone brings up the naming problem every year, and we start this debate all over again but I'm increasingly inclining towards it. I like reversible air conditioner. And 2-way AC for people searching to replace cooling systems. But HP for furnace if we can find enough traction, because don't you want to be pumping heat in the chill of winter?
The problem with 2-Way AC is that understanding the term requires knowing that ACs move heat out to make spaces cold, instead of "putting cold in."
People think AC = cold.
However, heat pumps in certain categories are already marketed as ACs.
Portable heat pumps are often marketed as ACs already
I totally think we should emphasize the "2 in 1" capability more in heat pump advertising. But ultimately, I don't think "2-way AC" is much better. "AC with heat" is more descriptive and easier to understand, and also happens to be how most window or portable units are marketed today on Amazon etc‚ guessing they've realized that works best!
I have a better name!
People love a good naming contest
The hardest part of rebranding something can be getting people to agree on a new name.