ICL moves into home market

ICL is to make a ú25m launch into the pan-European consumer home entertainment market, using the brand heritage of its majority shareholder, Japanese giant Fujitsu.

The launch includes a range of consumer machines, including a combined personal computer and television, due to launch next month, and the Indiana range of home PCs, which launched this week.

The co-branding campaign marks an about-face for ICL, which has previously distanced itself from its Japanese shareholder and positioned itself as a wholly British firm. According to ICL marketing communications manager Martin Archer, the move is intended to help ICL’s branding in the consumer market. ICL is primarily known as a business PC manufacturer.

“We felt using the Fujitsu name would enable us to increase brand awareness. It brings all the benefits of a well-known brand,” Archer says.

Simons Palmer Denton Clemmow & Johnson will handle a print and TV campaign for the new PC/TV. A Fujitsu/ICL branding campaign will be created by Swedish firm Cappuccino, while Finnish agency Sek & Grey will promote business machines under the Fujitsu/ICL brand.