Subtle image change for telco giant

By SIMON HENDERY

Corporate giant Telecom has revamped its company logo - the first makeover in its 16-year history.

The previous logo had been with the telecommunications company since its transformation from a state-owned enterprise in 1987. The yellow, green and blue stylised cables running through the letter "O" are replaced with squares of the same colours forming a "T" a subtle message that the telco business is about more than lines in the ground.

Telecom says the new logo was the result of customer feedback and research into perceptions of the business and the services the company delivers.

Telecom's size and its near monopoly in several markets has often made it a target for consumer rage and backlash.

Industry insiders say about a fifth of Telecom's customers are loyal, the same number detest having to do business with it, and the rest are satisfied or indifferent.

But marketing services manager Val Green said yesterday the company's market research revealed customers associated the Telecom brand with reliability, security and trustworthiness.

Customers had, however, also identified a need to freshen up the company's image.

"It was actually really reassuring that New Zealanders told us they know and like Telecom and just felt it needed to evolve, [to become] a little bit more modern," Green said.

The new logo was designed by Saatchi & Saatchi, an agency which has had a long relationship with Telecom. Green said that was a strength when it came to issues of brand perception.

The logo made its first appearance on the company's annual report, which was released this week. It will begin appearing on corporate brochures and stationery over the next few months as old stock is replaced

The country's 5400 phone boxes will gradually be emblazoned with the new look over the next 12 months during their regular maintenance programme.

Signage on the company's buildings will also be gradually changed over the coming year.

Telecom chief executive Theresa Gattung said: "What excites us about the change is what it says about Telecom and New Zealand.

"We've come a long way as a company, and the environment in which we operate has changed significantly - but we're proud to be Telecom."