Hutch becomes Vodafone Essar

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Global telecom major Vodafone Essar on Wednesday announced launch the Vodafone brand in India from September 20.

Vodafone has already started promoting its brand in some of the new circles, in which they have started their operations. The brand change over the next few weeks will be unveiled nationally through campaigns.

“We have had a great innings as Hutch in India and today marks a new beginning for us. Not as a departure from the fundamentals that created Hutch, but an acceleration into the future with Vodafone’s global expertise,” Asim Ghosh, managing director, Vodafone Essar said.

Harit Nagpal, Marketing and New Business director, Vodafone Essar, said that this transition is probably the largest brand change ever undertaken in this country and arguably as big as any in the world. “It is even larger than our own previous brand transitions as it touches over 35 million customers, across 400,000 shops and thousands of our own and our business associates’ employees,” he added.

He said that the popular and endearing brand, Hutch, will be transitioned to Vodafone across India. This marks a significant chapter in the evolution of Vodafone as a dynamic and ever-growing brand.

Vodafone completed the acquisition of Hutchison Essar in May 2007 and the company was formally renamed Vodafone Essar in July 2007.