The power of brand: one year on from the launch of Vodafone Business

It doesn’t seem to matter what role people have in an organisation or what industry they work in, most agree on the power of a brand.

Being surrounded by strong brands in our daily lives means there’s an appreciation that a business’ identity is so much more than a logo; it’s a living personality, a visual representation of what you stand for as an organisation.

As the 49^th most valuable brand in the world (Kantar, WPP, NY:SE) and #1 in the UK, leveraging the  Vodafone brand certainly comes with its benefits, but it can also be a challenge to stand out as offering more than consumer mobile. This is why we decided in the summer of 2018 to create Vodafone Business.

Looking back now, almost a year on from launch day, I am quietly amazed at what we achieved in such a short period. In December I shared how we built a brand in five months, more or less, and launched it across 19 markets in 10 weeks.

If I hadn’t been personally involved, I might not believe those numbers. I received the same reaction in the beginning when I explained my plan;

"you want to do what in five months?!"

Yet each conversation validated our decision that this was the right thing to do. Our customers agreed, sometimes scolding us for not already shouting loudly enough about what can do. Creative agencies who had previously seen little of Vodafone outside of retail were inspired by stories of smart flour mills and digital avatars. And industry analysts confirmed that the shifting market landscape meant it was the right time to reposition as partner, not just provider.

Internally, our people wanted the world to know what we were capable of, with a brand that stood for our capabilities, loud and clear.

So, one year on, what impact has it made?

Increased awareness

In that time our brand consideration has increased, meaning that Vodafone Business is now first or joint first in eight out of 21 countries.

We have also seen an increase in awareness that we offer multiple services for business, not just mobile; now at 53% of those surveyed.

More than just a change to the logo, our brand messaging was designed to reflect a willingness to work together in uncertain times. The “your: our” split saw widespread success, with a multitude of brands ready to add their logo and case studies appearing for every industry and technology.

Suddenly, it wasn’t just a connected flour mill, it was a fight against malnutrition; a smart factory in Germany became a prototype for new manufacturing methods.

Our repositioning fell perfectly into step with Vodafone’s optimistic, purpose-driven direction as a connected technology company. And since launch, the average of those viewing Vodafone Business as a trusted partner has increased significantly.

We have also had high visibility moments, such as displays at major airports, a massive 48% increase in website traffic on launch month and media coverage across various publications.

To engage our customers and employees, events were held to help spread the word; with celebrations taking place from Ireland to South Africa, New Zealand to Czech Republic. Our people were ready to love this brand as much as we did and stand behind it.
 

A refreshed approach

Online, we brought the Vodafone Business brand to new screens through a partnership with CNN Business. This collaboration has generated over 18m digital impressions so far, with articles translated across 14 markets.

And soon you will see our brand in an even more unexpected, impactful space which I can’t wait to share. We are no longer business to business; in this rapidly changing industry we are business to people.

With this proof that our brand strategy is working, it’s time to dig deeper into what it means to work with and for Vodafone Business. This means a refreshed tone of voice, a renewed focus on storytelling and market insight that continues to add value in our boardrooms as well as our customers’.

When we bring these intentions to life with action and purpose, it’s clear that even in this technology-driven age of disruption, this brand has power.

Your business in a digital world: our commitment to help you succeed. We mean business, Vodafone Business.

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