Nucleus brand strategy for Cable & Wireless

Nucleus has completed a brand strategy programme for Cable & Wireless and an identity redesign for Web hosting business Exodus Communications, which was bought by Cable & Wireless for $750m (£527m) on 1 February.

Nucleus has completed a brand strategy programme for Cable & Wireless and an identity redesign for Web hosting business Exodus Communications, which was bought by Cable & Wireless for $750m (£527m) on 1 February.

The consultancy, which has commanded a six-figure sum for the work, was briefed to evaluate the options for branding the enlarged organisation before the announcement of the acquisition was made. It suggested that the Exodus brand be retained for the US Web hosting sector, but rebranded Cable & Wireless in the UK, Europe and Japan. All other Cable & Wireless activities in the US remain unaffected.

The Digital Island brand, which was bought by Cable & Wireless in mid-2001, will also be rebranded Cable & Wireless in the UK, Europe and Japan. Meanwhile, PSI Net, another acquisition, will be re-branded Cable & Wireless in Japan.

The Exodus marque in the US, a combination of the Cable & Wireless identity and Exodus name, launched last week. It will be fully implemented by 1 May, but only in the US Web hosting sector.

‘Due diligence is a central part of an acquisition or merger, but it’s unusual to do brand due diligence before an announcement [of a merger or acquisition] is made. All too often branding issues are based on subjectivity,’ says Nucleus managing director Peter Matthews.

The consultancy, which was appointed in November 2001, won the work without a pitch.

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