#SamosaTalks: All you need to know about Vi rebranding

Vodafone Idea Limited's Kavita Nair sheds light on the rebranding process for Vi, plans for IPL and the strategy for the upcoming festive season.

Early September 2020, legacies of Vodafone and Idea were merged to form one brand identity, Vi. As the lines between home and work get blurred and people continue to juggle living multiple lives in closed quarters, Social Samosa talks to Kavita Nair, Chief Digital Transformation & Brand Officer, Vodafone Idea Limited to get insights into the Vi rebranding efforts and the road ahead.

Nair shares her personal and professional challenges and triumphs of being a part of the rebranding and launch initiatives, while working remotely.

Rebranding initiatives

Nair explains that when the brand started the rebranding process, they wanted to carry forward the legacy of both Vodafone and Idea while building the dynamics that needed to be relevant for India for many years to come.

"It is much more than just an abbreviation," she pointed out, signifying the collective efforts and collaboration of the people. "It is a brand that is relevant to today’s India and for the digital age," said Nair.

When asked about the brief given to the agency, Nair highlighted that with Ogilvy, they had shared a three-point brief:

• Firstly, Vodafone + Idea is now Vi
• Quick-awareness about the rebranded identity
• The philosophy of ‘Together for tomorrow’.

She also added that it was essential to build upon something that is future-fit and transcends across geographies and consumers.

Also read: The New Normal for Food & Beverage Industry

Launching a new identity during a pandemic

One of the biggest challenges for the brand was to launch a new identity in the middle of a pandemic. The majority of the rebranding initiatives happened between May-July 2020.

Talking about making stakeholders feel included in the process of transitioning, Nair said, "During this time, if you can carry the legacy and equity forward, the stakeholders feel more optimistic and confident about the brand." As Vi was moving forward with the brand migration, the news was first shared with the employees to make them feel more special and connected.

It is also crucial to add a personal touch for the consumers, Nair added. To accomplish this, the brand first shared the news with the TG instead of any media. The news was later spread across the country through other mediums.

Leveraging digital, festivities & IPL

In terms of staying relevant through the pandemic, Nair spoke about three key pillars that should be looked into: Marketing, technology and data.

With the festive season around the corner, the brand intends to leverage digital and full-funnel marketing. "The period is an opportunity for demand generation across the small screen and the big screen," Nair explained, adding how IPL has always worked well for them strategically when it comes to engaging with cricket fans.

Vi has launched various new-age digital experiences, including AR filters, personalised tunes and more. From an engagement perspective, digital provides scalability and thus, Vi will continue to leverage the medium for further growth.

On a personal note, Nair shared that one of the key learnings she would take forward from the experience is how nothing is impossible.

Moving forward, Vi is planning to launch a fan fest for IPL.

You can watch the entire session here: