Aviva to scrap Norwich Union…

Aviva has confirmed that it will axe the historic Norwich Union insurance brand 10 months after incoming group chief executive Andrew Moss first mooted the plan. The move marks the final phase of its strategy to use the Aviva name as its global consumer brand.

The insurance company’s Commercial Union Poland and Hibernian brands will also be axed under the “One Aviva, twice the value” positioning introduced by Moss in October last year. However, the changes will not effect its RAC motoring brand.

It also follows the appointment of British Gas marketing director Amanda MacKenzie as group marketing director in January this year. She took up post in March and has a seat on the company’s executive committee.

The brands will be phased out over two years and the insurance company has already begun co-branding its communications with Aviva logo.

The move comes at a difficult time for the UK insurer and the financial services industry. Last November it cut its marketing team by 140 and its UK budget from £180m to £100m.

Norwich Union was founded over 200 years ago and is the UK’s biggest insurance brand. The Aviva brand was created in 2002 from CGNU as part of a move to grow its global business.