Vodafone to ''Make The Most Of Now'' with Hutch essence

New Delhi: looking to carry forward the legacy of an enduring brand, UK mobile giant Vodafone plans to keep intact its predecessor''s assurance of following customers wherever they go, while communicating with them to ''Make The Most Of Now''.

According to Vodafone-Essar director of marketing and new services, Harit Nagpal, "Hutch was a much likable brand and we plan to carry forward such an endearing brand like Hutch. There has to be continuity in messages and flow of the services that the earlier brand stood for."

Nagpal added that Vodafone chose to retain the symbolic ''pug'', along with some animated characters as the company did not want to alienate customers from the erstwhile brand. However, marking the first important change in branding, Hutch''s tag-line of ''Wherever you go our network follows'' would be replaced by Vodafone''s ''Make the most of now''.

Industry sources peg the exercise of re-branding Hutch to Vodafone, along with subsequent branding costs in the range of Rs80-100 crore.

Nagpal, choosing not to disclose the costs of the re-branding campaign, said the cost was marginally more than what it takes to retain a brand campaign, saying, "most of the cost goes toward changing the appearance of dealers to suit the changed brand." He expects about six to eight weeks for the changeover to be complete in the company''s dealers premises and shops, which he says would be eat up about 50 per cent of the rebranding costs.

Vodafone has secured an exclusive arrangement with broadcaster Star India to get absolute and uncluttered media visibility. For 24 hours, Star TV will air no other advertisements but Vodafone''s.

The breaking of TV media campaign is planned for Thursday, followed by a campaign in print short of the weekend.