Earlier executives at AOL worked hard to establish the company's brand, but now it seems that name has become something of a liability in a Web 2.0 world. In a recent Washington Post feature, the internet giant revealed a larger strategy to de-emphasize the once iconic web brand name.

According to Kevin Conroy, executive vice president for products at AOL, sites like TMZ, which AOL has a stake in, fit perfectly into its new strategy.

"You want to be there whether you're branded or not," Conroy said in reference to the myriad places users go online.

To recover from the death of its internet access business, AOL has said its focus will be on products like Truveo, a video search engine used by clients ranging from Microsoft to CNET. The company also has shrugged off its brand in the ad world, opting to name its new ad division Platform A.

In the meantime, the company said it's giving up on the AOL entirely. The company will continue to try and develop AOL.com as a prominent portal.