Why Telkom Kenya ditched Orange identity

Kenya’s oldest telecommunications company, Telkom Kenya on Tuesday ditched the Orange identity in a re-branding exercise that will now see the telco giant known as Telkom, reverting to its olden days colors.

the change of name is in line with the Brand Extraction Protocol Agreement signed by the Orange Group and Telkom Kenya last year in a move insiders believe is meant to take on mobile company Safaricom.

National Treasury Cabinet Secretary, Henry Rotich, termed the occasion as a key milestone in the telco’s journey that remains a key asset to Kenya and its legacy.

The launch of this new consumer facing brand, comes almost 12 months after the exit of immediate former majority shareholder, the Orange Group (formerly France Telecom), when it sold its majority stake in the Kenyan telco to UK Private Equity firm, Helios Investment Partners. The sale was completed in June, 2016. The Kenyan Government owns 40 percent of the business.

“The company’s Board takes full cognisance of the historical and economic importance of Telkom to the country and to Kenyans. We are committed to gradually restoring Telkom’s relevance in Kenya’s social and economic dynamic to transform it into a viable market player in the telecommunications sector and a profitable national asset,” says Company Chair, Eddy Njoroge.

Telkom embarked on a series of transformation programmes, to address target areas that were critical for change, before the launch of the new brand: strategic investment in infrastructure and long term investment in its human capital.

“All our actions over the past 12 months were designed to bring about holistic change to the customer’s value proposition. Our new brand, Telkom, brings with it freedom and choice to the consumer and prospective consumer,” says the telco’s CEO, Aldo Mareuse.

“This important shift in Telkom’s strategic rebrand was also informed in response to a need of reaching out to varied customer segments with the right products and solutions, reflecting current market dynamics,” adds Mareuse.

Telkom’s consumer-facing branding brings with it a new logo, tagline, colour, creative look and feel that will be reflected in all of Telkom’s shops and offices, as well as a redesigned website that provides for a more interactive user experience. The new tagline describes succinctly the direction that Telkom is taking: moving with you.

“Telkom signifies our focus on the future and our efforts to effectively reach out to a wider audience as a relevant, innovative, and forward-thinking brand that is committed to providing alternative choice to the consumer,” says company CEO, Aldo Mareuse.