Telewest unveils rebranding plan

Cable giant Telewest and its regional subsidiaries are being rebranded Telewest Broadband in a bid to consolidate the business under one name and take ownership of the broadband market.

A blue logo has been designed to represent the cable through which Telewest’s TV, telephony, Internet and broadband services pass.

The rebranding includes Telewest subsidiaries Yorkshire Cable, Cable London and Birmingham Cable.

The changes coincide with a restructure of the marketing department, which in the past was organised around product services. Commercial director of television David Hobday becomes sales and marketing director in charge of the Telewest Broadband brand, and commercial director of telephony and the Internet Gavin Patterson becomes commercial director responsible for business strategy, creating new products and managing existing ones.

Hobday says: “Sky has managed to own the word digital and we are moving to own the broadband space by using the very factor which differentiates Telewest from other networks.”

While Hobday admits that few consumers understand what broadband means, he says that an advertising campaign through Saatchi & Saatchi next year will explain its practical benefits.

The rebranding, conducted with the help of North Design, has cost more than £3m and includes an extensive briefing programme for the company’s 11,500 employees. The new brand will be introduced on customer literature, sponsorships and website and, as part of a replacement cycle, on the company’s 4,000 vans and staff uniforms.

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