Opportunity: Employee Engagement Through Brand Transitions.

Challenge

AT&T Canada was faced with a major challenge. Private investors bought AT&T’s business-to-business unit in Canada and undertook a capital restructuring. Through a series of mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, AT&T Canada found themselves with disparate business units, remnants of historically branded assets (CNCP, ACC, Netcom, MetroNet, and Montage-DMC) and they needed to launch a new corporate identity. Senior leadership had a desire to leverage the launch their new brand to bring together the disparate business units into one cohesive company in addition to the opportunity to transition all the current and historical branded assets to the new brand.  At the same time, they needed to retain and attract new customers while establishing the new brand in the marketplace. Budget and scope were significant, but time was of the essence too. There was a legal requirement within the purchase agreement which required the elimination of all AT&T branded instances by a specific date or face significant financial penalties.

Solution

The marketing leadership helped develop a brand transition plan that engaged employees across the disparate business units and managed the complex project involving vendors, agencies, employees, contractors, and executives. Communications, project management, and brand transition best practices were used to enhance employee involvement, manage risk, reduce costs and meet or exceed financial, legal and regulatory requirements. The transition of branded assets included: collateral to advertising, business cards to contracts, IT systems to customer bills,  building signage to vehicles and everything in between   A post-launch audit was also leveraged which further engaged employees right across the company to fully embrace the new brand.

Results

Allstream launched their new corporate identity to the market almost 3 months ahead of schedule and 30% under budget.  Our teams became more cohesive, collaborative and committed so that they could attack their market as one organization.  Independent research was conducted which indicated that customers were aware of the new corporate identity including specific brand attributes within 6 months of launch.

The approach and results have been detailed in this case study.

AT&T Canada to Allstream brand transition case study