Four vie for BT ‘updating’ job

BT expects to appoint a consultancy to review the “look and feel” of its branding this week, following a four-way pitch believed to comprise Enterprise IG, Interbrand Newell and Sorrell, Landor and Wolff Olins.

“It’s not to do with changing the name or identity,” says BT design manager David Mercer. “But we are proposing to look at making all-encompassing changes to update the look and feel [of BT] across a broad environment,” he adds. He will not comment on the identities of the four contenders, which made presentations last week. None of the groups would comment on the pitch.

Mercer cites the changing telecommunications marketplace as one of the reasons for the review. “Now we are involved in a much broader spectrum of customer activity… We need flexibility in the way we talk to customer groups. We want to position BT as a leading force and champion of business [for the millennium] and we want the company to look the part,” he adds.

While the exact details of the project are yet to be decided, areas for review are likely to include marketing and corporate communications material, vehicle application, stationery and possibly the telephone directories.

Separate to, but running alongside this exercise, is a feasibility study on the redesign of the BT bill, being carried out by freelance consultant Paddy Warren with Johnson Banks.