The Fleet funds will set sail with a new name in October. FleetBoston Financial will formerly rebrand the 64 funds under the Columbia moniker, reports the Boston Herald. The move has been expected for more than a year. The bank acquired the Columbia brand in 2001 along with Liberty Funds.

Currently the bank offers 15 funds under the Columbia Management brand. The Fleet funds include the former Galaxy Fund family.

"You can't have . . . an advertising campaign with maximum effectiveness without simplifying what that message is," the paper quotes James Tambone, co-president of Fleet's mutual fund sales unit, as saying. "Having two brand names out there makes the messaging portion of the campaign very challenging." 

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