The precise articulation is not yet known

The extension of brand belongs to everyday life companies but when the phenomenon affects a player also iconic and rooted in the imagination of the public, France Telecom, failover is to be examined with a magnifying glass. By becoming international commercial claw for offers of mobile, broadband and multiple services as well as for the activity aimed at businesses, Orange crossed a step of size as an umbrella brand. Although the group itself retains his name.

In France, claw of British origin is was already substituted in 2001 three offers commercial concurrence, Mobicarte and Ola, born in the group, but a little fallen since then, forgotten in the collective memory. To accompany this passage, the operator had developed means in disbursing some 30 million euros. This time, the cost of the transition at the global level will be EUR 200 million by end 2006, at a strategic stake mounted several notches. With this new management of its portfolio of brands, the operator hopes to generate savings in 2008.

It is for Orange, which started as a challenger in Britain, to establish a foothold on new territories. An association to an offer of products and mobile services his trade of origin she spent progressively until eighteen months to taking a more comprehensive stand, for the sake of simplification to the convergence of practices. With a new status to the key.

In some countries, the mark however rely on the name always. "We will adopt a pragmatic approach, adapted to the different countries, to preserve, where necessary, the commitment to the historic mark," said Marc Meyer, Executive Director of the communication of France Telecom. The precise articulation is not yet known. But in France, for the offerings associated with the mobile or converged services, Orange would remain bound for France Telecom which will remain its side the mark of the fixed telephone.

"The concept of brand architecture is important but the double level requires work well on what each name means", is Georges Lewi, Director of the Institute beak.

The path of Orange is made possible by the image over the years. Last ranking of Interbrand, brands French recovery exceeding EUR 1 billion, the claw comes eleventh with 2.92 billion euros.

"She was able to build a positioning very engaging about communicating brand, with an emotional and affective dimension going beyond mobile," said Jean-Baptiste Danet, CEO of Interbrand France, found him a significant potential. In the ranking, it is located behind Hermès and before Hennessy and Cartier. This entourage does not necessarily random. "With its identity very structured, telephony claw has almost luxury brand behavior", continues the leader of Council and brand creation Agency.

The elements of its image include the absence of telephones in its advertisements. Orange was adopted at the outset a real sense of brand before the products. "Playing on differentiation and an opening on the imaginary, the operator has been careful to work the service offering", said Till Jaspert, "managing partner" of the strategy and management DiamondCluster Paris consulting firm. The trade mark seeks to focus on the public the relational dimension rather than purely high-tech.

Feed the claw

"We wanted to not display a face too technological, but simply as people we do trust", said Hans Snook, founder of Orange who had left the branch end 2000, at the Symposium on innovation organised at the beginning of the month by Procter & Gamble and the London Business School. Today, the relational approach through including the explanation of the new points of sale, beyond the commercial function uses. In the new concept of boutique opened end of 2004 in Lille, these services "table of hosts" while mobile owners may recharge their battery in another zone, regardless of their operator. This store is much more iconic that he staged the overall supply of the group.

Among its assets, the name has an international connotation. Its visual identity enjoys good visibility and is located in the current codes. "The colour orange is also in the air of the time because it is linked in the minds of the public to a notion of attractive price." "Companies low-cost, such as easyJet, often used", said Georges Lewi. But to pass to the superior speed, will have to feed the brand with new elements. "It is well installed and has an attractive communication, but it lacks a bit of incarnation and does not necessarily appear as leader in innovation", note the expert. On this last point, the image work is initiated. The company thus put forward last month "m-coaching", new personalised SMS, support service launched with partners. A series of new services, moreover, was announced yesterday.

On the construction of an institutional image, Orange is looking to rise in power, with for axis the notion of responsible business. Among the different actions, he launched last year a communication campaign to promote use of the most environmentally friendly mobile other. For the group, the site of the portfolio of brands began a year ago, management Announces anyway long.