The rebranding began over the first weekend in April 2011, when the extensive advertising campaign launched across South Africa and into Lesotho, Mozambique and Tanzania to let everyone know that Vodacom is changing its branding.
It started with the outdoor site on the top of the Ponte Tower in Johannesburg moving from blue and green to the new red, launched on Friday 1, April 2011, followed by an unveiling of the new colour and brand look and feel at a music festival at Orlando Stadium. Sunday 3 April saw the three major Sunday newspapers wrapped in the new colours and disclosing the new logo and pay-off line: 'Power to You'.
Vodacom employees and subcontractors, working overtime, ensured that the majority of the stores changed colour to show the new brand with in-store promotional material, starter packs, brochures, etc. Over the weekend, all advertising including out-of-home such as wall murals, malls, billboards, street poles and airport hoardings changed - mostly overnight - to support the 'change' message.
"Draftfcb's communication strategy to take the change to the South African market incorporates 'transitional' advertising that acknowledges that our brand is uniquely African with great emotive appeal to the markets that we serve. This will make it clear to all that we are changing from blue and green, to iconic Vodafone red and white," explains Enzo Scarcella, Vodacom South Africa's managing executive of marketing.
"After 16 years of success, we felt the need to significantly change our business to take advantage of the new competitive environment and the opportunities and challenges it presents and, having decided to change on the business front, it seemed logical to align brand-wise with Vodafone, one of the world's biggest mobile telecoms operators and our major shareholder."
Draftfcb Johannesburg's executive business director, Romaine Mackenzie, explained that the approach taken by the agency mitigates the risk of people feeling insecure about the change. "Generally, people do not like change, especially when it involves things they know well and love; and as the myriad surveys and awards have proven over the years, the service provider has certainly become one of South Africa's favourite brands.
"To make certain all of its customers in South Africa understand that the rebranding is not to be feared, we make extensive use of our 'articles of faith', the iconic characters that have defined the brand over the years - Bankole and de Pinna, Jan and Elton, Mo the Meerkat - to confirm that, while it is changing from blue and green to red, it is not abandoning its unique South African-ness that made it such a successful and likable brand."
"This is the biggest project the Johannesburg agency has worked on. It has been all-encompassing, challenging and a career highlight for anyone who has touched the project. We have all worked exceptionally hard, drawn on all our industry experience to ensure we deliver strategically and creatively. It has been so exciting to see it all coming together at the right time."
Draftfcb Johannesburg's MD, Jerry Mpufane, added, "It's been a tremendous challenge pulling together all of the elements that need to be addressed in this re-branding but I know that the 'Kremlin' team led by Romaine Mackenzie and group executive creative director, Brett Morris, have outdone themselves.
"Inspired by the client's vision, they have tackled the project with enthusiasm and professionalism. It is going to be thrilling to watch all the work come to fruition."
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