Telecom Eireann appoints locally

Dublin consultancy The Identity Business has been appointed to review the identity of the Irish state-owned telecommunications company, Telecom Eireann.

The contract is central to the client’s overall marketing as it positions itself for deregulation in July 2000 (DW 10 January).

Telecom Eireann is expected to appoint other design consultancies to work on ad hoc projects relating to the overhaul.

The pitch was advertised in the EU Journal in May. A shortlist of no more than five consultancies was drawn up, including one major outfit from the US and one from London. The Identity Business was appointed after a proposals pitch.

On top of the logo, The Identity Business is effectively responsible for managing the overall audit and its design elements.

“We need to assess who is out there and how to change so as to compete with them,” says group creative director Garrett Reil.

There is currently no deadline for the completed logo, although it must obviously be ready in time for deregulation in July 2000.

“The audit will probably take about six months, after which we will draw up a final brief on which the logo and possibly other design work will be based,” says Reil.

“When you go into an audit of this scale everything is open to question. Even the design of the retail outlets may change, or the name of the company,” he adds. The group repositioned Telecom Eireann’s 20 bill centres as retail centres last spring.

The marketing strategy will look to target Ireland’s indigenous population rather than going for a global market, says Reil.

The Identity Business is about to unveil an identity for a new shopping complex in Dublin, which has been developed by Grosvenor Properties.