8ta going out with a whimper
Telkom Mobile recently launched it new SIM-Sonke pre-paid product, but curiously didn’t launch it under the 8ta brand.
This is despite Telkom’s statements that it was simply repositioning the 8ta brand for particular market segments, and the fact that the “8ta More” pre-paid offering appeared to be the only remaining 8ta-branded product at Telkom Mobile.
When the news first broke that 8ta would be rebranding as Telkom Mobile, Telkom quickly issued a press statement assuring that the 8ta brand would exist alongside Telkom Mobile.
The Telkom Mobile website also provided the following explanation on its “About us” page:
8ta is a well-loved brand and will live on under a different guise. It will be repositioned as a product of Telkom Mobile and, later in the year, re-launched as an even more dynamic, nimble and irreverent version of itself. Recently 8ta committed itself to a five year partnership with the PSL that will extend the 8ta loving family to the football loving community. New products will be introduced under the 8ta banner that will delight in their simplicity and offer great value.
It turns out that there are, in fact, no plans to launch new 8ta products or re-launch 8ta “as an even more dynamic, nimble and irreverent version of itself”.
“As we indicated at the launch of Telkom Mobile, the business is moving towards a single identity that is more closely aligned with the Telkom Group brand,” a spokesperson for Telkom Mobile told MyBroadband.
“In line with this approach, in time you will see that even the 8ta More product advertising will take on a more Telkom look and feel.”
The reason for adopting a brand identity that is similar to others in the Telkom group, according to Telkom Mobile, is that they are “better able to leverage cost savings on joint marketing projects.”
It would seem that the 8ta brand is on its last legs and one can’t help but wonder whether there were ever plans for it to co-exist with Telkom Mobile.
8ta.com has started redirecting to telkommobile.co.za.
More on the rebranding of 8ta
Telkom Mobile new product plans
8ta brand to remain alongside Telkom Mobile
8ta to rebrand as Telkom Mobile
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