What makes a brand like Vodacom rise above its competitors and consistently resonate with South Africans from all walks of life? Perhaps some insight can be gained by examining the pedigree and its illustrious 'birth', 10 years on from launch.
Vodacom, South Africa's leading cellular network, was born in the politically exciting year of 1994 when President Mandela was released and South Africa became a true democracy. It was a positive year for the organisation which started without the so-called 'baggage of the past' and it was positive for South Africans who have now become known as the 'Rainbow Nation'.
The introduction of cellular technology allowed South Africans to talk on phones almost anywhere. From the beginning, effective branding was launched which established a solid foundation and strong perceptual advantage over industry competitors. A job that was so well done, that many still believe that Vodacom was 'first to market', when in fact both cellular networks received their licenses on the same day.
Vodacom set about building base stations along all major national roads in South Africa and through effective communication, built a lasting image of a network that provided coverage across SA. Also, strong alliances were established with major retailers, making cell phones as readily available as other fast moving consumer goods.
Says Alan Knott-Craig, Group CEO: "We knew that in the early days, coverage would be critical, but that it would become generic in the future, and that the brand and our distribution channel strength would have to stand alone. It's not about plastering Vodacom everywhere, it's about building a personality that is relevant and speaks to the people of South Africa. It was easy to fall into the 'high tech' techno-jargon trap, but from the beginning we believed that Vodacom would become a part of everyone's lives."
Knott-Craig likens the brand to the analogy of a friend. The qualities one looks for in a friend are the same qualities that one looks for in a brand. Says Knott-Craig: "Vodacom has been unpretentious about who it is and what it offers its customers. It's a truly South African brand that's built customer loyalty through its brand image and is truly thankful to its 11 million customers for their ongoing support and loyalty."
A firm set of desired brand values and attributes were decided upon in the early years and today, the same Vodacom company philosophy applies. These differentiating values include market leadership, competence and unparalleled, techno-friendly customer service.
At an estimated value of R8 billion, the brand strives to always be warm, humorous, in touch with and caring for all South Africans. Its 'high tech, high touch' communication strategy created a solid foundation for the brand - one that goes far beyond creating prolific awareness.
Says Knott-Craig: "Brand awareness has always been a priority. The 'Yebo Gogo' ad campaign has been one of the most successful iconic brand campaigns in this country. The ad campaign history shows consistency that's ensured that the Vodacom brand has been well-liked and clearly understood over the last decade.
"Vodacom has always and still does believe in the power of sports sponsorship and the degree to which this involvement displays a brand's commitment to supporting our country's rising stars. It's consistently sponsored SA's two most-loved sports namely soccer and rugby and also invests in golf, motor sport, SA life-saving, horse-racing, the Olympic and Para-Olympic teams, plus various arts and cultural initiatives."
In addition to this, the Vodacom Foundation has supported numerous corporate social investment initiatives in-line with government's key areas of concern. Through this the company has changed lives and touched the hearts of millions of South Africans.
Having remained at the forefront of innovation over the last 10 years, Vodacom now boasts 11 million subscribers who can look forward to the introduction of 3G technology in the near future that will change the way in which people communicate.
The caring approach to customer service is underpinned by a multitude of offerings that care for customers and their phones, such as nationwide walk-in customer care centres, a two-year warranty on all handsets, nationwide VodaCare repair centres, 24/7 multi-lingual customer care and a handset upgrade programme.
Vodacom's success can be attributed to a core team that's been consistent over time. This dedicated team has shown focus and made a conscious trends decision to avoid 'multiple brand personality syndrome' by emulating other brand trends and messages. The cornerstone for this young, yet incredibly successful brand has been its individualism within a truly South African context.
