Release of 08.04.2019
- Repositioning in Belarus supported by starting a phased rebranding of velcom into A1.
- North Macedonian subsidiary announced replacement of its brand Vip by A1 in the course of 2019.
- Further significant steps in the systematic implementation of the Group’s single-brand strategy.
As of today, the A1 Telekom Austria Group's operating company on the Belarusian market started a rebranding of the local brand velcom that is going to be conducted in two phases: From now on, the dual brand velcom | A1 will be applied which will later on this year finally turn into the single brand A1. Moreover, just a few days ago, on April 3, the Group's operating company in North Macedonia had announced that its local brand Vip is going to be replaced by A1 in the course of 2019.
A1 Telekom Austria Group CEO Thomas Arnoldner comments the most recent developments with a view to the group-wide roll-out of A1: ‘With these steps, we are utilizing our strong brand A1 in further operations of our international footprint, and our A1 ‘brand family’ continues to grow in 2019. We are actively pursuing our group-wide single-brand strategy. This is an investment in the future of our operations. It is leveraging our perception as a powerful international company and has the potential to support efficiency and growth targets. We are convinced that a strong and concerted brand identity, a distinct value proposition, consistency and credibility support the repositioning of the companies in their respective markets.’
Alejandro Plater, COO of the A1 Telekom Austria Group, says: ‘The initial idea of one brand started a couple of years ago with the question of how our different subsidiaries with their own culture and history can work together better as one team. I strongly believe that through this journey to have one unified brand, we will achieve more and become stronger together. I’m proud that in Belarus and North Macedonia we will also soon appear as A1 on the market. With a view to both companies, we expect the energetic and proven A1 brand to foster their new market positioning. A1 aspires to deliver a total customer experience by connecting people, places and things with solutions that enrich the experience of work, life and play in the Digital Age.’
Back in 2017, the A1 Telekom Austria Group had announced its plans to gradually – dependent on local circumstances – expand the A1 brand to its entire operating business. In 2018, this objective was accompanied by the rebranding of the Bulgarian and Croatian subsidiaries to A1 and a brand refresh in Austria. The A1 brand was previously already implemented on the Slovenian market and at A1 Digital as well as in the international corporate brand A1 Telekom Austria Group.