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The future is no longer Orange as EE phases out brand name(Guardian (UK) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) The future is bright but it may not be Orange for much longer in the UK. One of the world's most successful brands after it was created on these shores 20 years ago, the mobile phone network is to phase out its distinctive presence in Britain. Orange has stopped signing new customers online in the UK and, along with sister company T-Mobile, it has closed its British internet shopfront. The move is being seen as the first big step in parent company EE's gradual winding down of two of the best known names in British telecoms, as it seeks to move customers on to its new superfast 4G network. "This is a clear signal of intent that over time the Orange and T-Mobile brands will be phased out," said mobile expert James Barford at Enders Analysis. "Online is not the biggest channel but it is a very significant channel." Launched in 1994 as the fourth operator in an already crowded market, Orange quickly distinguished itself from rivals. With mobiles still seen as flashy gadgets for bankers, the company marketed its service as simple to use and accessible to all. Conceived by an in-house team led by founder Hans Snook and marketing director Chris Moss, the name was unusual for the technology scene in the 1990s. The advertising agency WCRS came up with a catchy slogan - "The future's bright, the future's Orange" - and by the time Orange was bought by France Telecom in 2000 it was valued at pounds 25bn. Millions were lavished on high profile sponsorships, with Orange backing the Baftas and the Orange prize for fiction. Last year Orange was elbowed aside as title sponsor of the Baftas, which are now known as the EE British Academy film awards, while the women's prize for fiction is now backed by drinks brand Baileys. Even Wednesdays are no longer exclusively Orange's. EE customers can also get two cinema tickets for the price of one. However, Orange is not disappearing entirely. The identity which Snook and his team created remains potent, so much so that France Telecom, the former state-owned network, decided to rebrand. As of last year the entire business, from fixed line to mobile, in France and abroad, is now called Orange. But the merger in 2010 of the UK operations of Orange and T-Mobile, which is owned by Deutsche Telekom, created the conditions that could now lead to the name disappearing from the UK. The lack of a dominant owner - the French and Germans each have a 50% share of the holding company - led to squabbles. When the time came to invest billions in a brand new 4G network, there was a branding dilemma. The compromise was the launch of a new network, EE, in October 2012. Its name is now the only one above the door on the group's 600 high street shopfronts. Captions: Penelope Cruz at the Orange British Academy awards in 2009. They are now known as the EE British Academy awards Photograph: Mike Marsland/WireImage (c) 2014 Guardian Newspapers Limited. |