Is True making waves beyond a new name?

TelecomAsia rebranded itself as True in April this year in a 100 million baht (US$2.5 million) exercise that saw it paint the city red in a manner reminiscent of what its mobile subsidiary TA Orange did two years earlier. The name was chosen to convey credibility, creativity, care and courage; the colour to represent a modern and forward-looking attitude. The move to create a strong brand was not unprecedented in Thailand's highly competitive telecoms market. Almost three years earlier, cell phone operator Total Access Communication very successfully rebranded itself as DTAC -- with D meaning 'good' in Thai. Later, AIS added Evolution behind its GSM Advance brand name. More important than the new name was True's intention to unify its various services under one brand, and to cross-market them. Besides being Bangkok's largest fixed-line carrier, True's businesses include TA Orange, ISP Asia Infonet, multimedia operator Asia Multimedia, and pay-TV company UBC. The only provider of integrated communications services in Bangkok, True is in a unique position of being able to bundle its offerings. "This is a new paradigm of service, and the challenge is to create a total comprehension of the brand, which needs to be done gradually, one dimension at a time until you arrive at the total picture," said managing director Chaipranin Visudhipol, managing director of True's agency, TBWA. In its first initiative, the company has launched an 'All Together Bonus' promotion allowing clients of its fixed-line, internet and data network services to redeem their bills for time on Orange mobile phones. Meanwhile, True gained majority control over Orange in October, paving the way for the planned renaming of the brand as True Mobile, and for greater synergy in future marketing campaigns. Market analysts expect the mobile operator to be at the center of any new promotions, with upcoming regulations expected to make it less expensive for cell-phone users to call within the same network. "Only for those with the largest subscriber bases will be successful," one noted.