What do you think about Telecom's new logo? Email newsdesk@nzherald.co.nz
Some think it is a snowflake. Others in Telecom's marketing focus group think it is a spark - or an energy burst. Maybe it is the Southern Cross?
Like the famous "TV show about nothing" on Seinfeld, Telecom bosses say people can decide for themselves what it all means.
"What we are saying here to people is that this is all about you - it is literally whatever you want it to be," said director of brand and marketing Craig Herbison. "This is about self expression."
The new logo - a hastily drawn asterisk? - will be used across nearly all of the Telecom business and marks a new image for the firm.
It is part of a multimillion-dollar push to freshen Telecom's image.
The Telecom name is staying.
Mr Herbison says the new logo is intended to end what focus groups said was the stuffy, conservative image shown by the logo that Telecom has used since 2001.
It reflected changes to a customer focus by new chief executive Paul Reynolds. "It's quite a fundamental shift," said Mr Herbison as he prepared the launch of the Asterisk/Spark/ Snowflake last night.
The logo was unveiled in a lightshow to run for five days at the Auckland Ferry Building.
It would be introduced immediately at some buildings and would soon be on accounts sent to customers. There will be a big advertising campaign next week. It would be gradually introduced after that.
Telecom would not disclose the cost of the rebranding exercise, which will be one of the biggest in New Zealand marketing history.
Comment on the new logo was rife on the internet yesterday. "A bottle of red wine and a crayon and I think I could do that," said Vodafone spokesman Paul Brislen.
He acknowledged that brand logos such as Vodafone's speech mark on a red background were often simple.
Mr Herbison said simplicity was part of its success.
"The design firm came up with multiple interpretations. We were comfortable with this. People in the focus group liked the precision and the imprecision of the mark," Mr Herbison said.
"Some people look at this and say - this is a snowflake. Some say it is an asterisk. Some saw it as the Southern Cross or as an energy burst or spark.
"Whatever you see in it is fine by us."
What do you think about Telecom's new logo? Email newsdesk@nzherald.co.nz
