It’s 2015. Australia is the world’s biggest Game of Thrones pirate, Netflix is the year’s top trending search, and Optus is struggling to connect with new customers. How do you reposition a telco to meet the changing needs of the Netflix Generation?

Re first rebranded Optus, Australia’s second largest telecommunications provider, back in 2013. At that time, it was our job to communicate Optus’ customer service credentials. A fun and friendly brand helped endear Optus to consumers who were fed up with the inflexibility and poor service they got from other providers.

But by 2015, the world was a very different place. People were starting to see telcos as the ‘pipe’ that carries content for other players. With consideration of the brand flat-lining, Optus realised they needed to shift from simply delivering telecommunications to delivering the full experience of digital engagement. It was up to Re to create a brand fit for this bold new world. Amplifying Yes.

When FedEx realised it wasn’t packages they were delivering but peace of mind, that’s when their brand started to make sense. And it’s the same for Optus. They don’t just deliver gigabytes, they create meaningful experiences for people they call ‘Yes Moments’.

‘Yes’ has been an enduring part of the Optus brand since the 90s, but over time it had lost meaning. This was our chance to give it a more defined role. By decoupling ‘Yes’ from the Optus logo, we created a standalone mark that represents the voice of the customer. It’s the customer response when Optus makes 'Yes Moments’ happen. Like Toyota’s ‘Oh, what a feeling’ and the Nike swoosh, this mark amplifies the feeling of the brand. Free, playful and expressive, it wraps itself around things it loves and even dances in animation. In collaboration with Buck Sydney Built to evolve at the speed of culture.

Given the ever-changing nature of entertainment, the brand would need to move with the times to stay relevant to its audience. To achieve this, Re took a new approach to branding. We introduced an additional layer outside the core identity, which we call the playground. Governed by principles, rather than guidelines, the playground is where the brand can stretch its legs, push in new directions and evolve at the speed of culture.

Individual ‘brand worlds’ enable Optus to naturally flex to suit any genre, subculture or customer segment it needs to. Essentially skins on the core identity, these worlds feel fresh and unique, yet each has a backbeat that’s distinctly Optus. Video by Emotive Entertainment set free.

To support its new direction, Optus forged relationships with Netflix, Stan, Spotify, Google Play, Pandora, iHeartRadio and Guvera, and launched its own set-top box (YesTV by Fetch). They also made huge news by securing the exclusive Australian broadcast rights to the English Premier League (EPL) and launching their own channel Optus Sport. No longer simply a telco, Optus was emerging as a broadcaster in its own right.

At the same time, Optus optimised its network for entertainment and announced data-free streaming for selected entertainment providers – an Australian first. This meant that customers could enjoy the TV and music they love without chewing through data. In collaboration with M&C Saatchi Sydney Transforming Optus from the inside out.

It was vital that Optus’ people were brought along on this major shift in business strategy. Through brand workshops, internal communications and environmental activations on the expansive Optus campus, Re worked to educate and inspire Optus staff and partners.

This ensured people not only understood the strategic intent of ‘Yes Moments’, but knew how to bring them to life across every facet of the organisation.
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