Keeping a TAB on its brand

This marketing initiative aims to provide greater awareness and interest in the sport of thoroughbred horseracing according to Phumelela Betting and Compliance Executive, Mpho Ramafalo.

Changing the look and feel of the logo is only one of the steps in the rationalisation process. The key aspect is to ensure that the betting experience for TAB customers matches the new look: "We examined the current product and service offering of TAB stores and created a uniform standardisation plan for all stores, nationally. The new approach treats TAB branches as a retail operation taking full cognisance that our industry is information driven.

"To that end we have expanded our informational displays and serve our customers more effectively. Research has shown that customers spend up to six hours in our stores and addressing the comfort of patrons was also of the utmost importance," says Ramafalo.

TAB is embarking on an intensive staff training and development programme to improve service levels and the TAB logo is being refreshed: "The TAB brand is internationally recognised and we did not want to lose historical equity by reinventing the wheel. The new look and feel of the brand is fresh and clean and communicates our new strategy effectively."

Ramafalo expects the rollout of refurbished stores and brand strategy to be complete in the latter half of 2007: "By the end of this period a consolidated and sophisticated gaming experience will be delivered to customers across the group, including the consolidation of all gaming brands such as telephonic, online, on-course and in-store gaming. New operational initiatives will also, during this time, improve the experience for our customers."