Private sector urges rebranding to redirect strategy and fortunes

Mr John Walabyeki, the managing Partner RSM Eastern Africa. File phot

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Others. Zain Uganda successfully rebranded to Airtel Uganda.

KAMPALA. Rebranding can lease a fresh breath of life into any organisation if handled well and done at the right time, the leadership of the private sector apex body has advised.
Rebranding efforts may include a name change, new logo or packaging and updated marketing materials that include the latest industry buzzwords.
Private Sector Foundation Uganda executive director Gideon Badagawa, says rebranding is something that private sector players can resort to if it deems it necessary to redirect its strategy as well as fortunes.

“There is nothing wrong with organisations rebranding. We encourage that, but it should be formally done because it is a good thing to do considering that it can re-energise the institution operation,” Mr Badagawa said last week on Friday at the sideline interview of the launch of Uganda Doing Business Report 2016 in Kampala.
He applauded the move by RSM International, one of the world’s largest audit, tax and consulting firm, which has since rebranded and adopted the name ‘RSM’ as its united global brand name in over 110 countries worldwide, saying as long as it is done formally and for the right cause, then it is the right thing to do.

In an interview with the Daily Monitor recently in Kampala, the managing partner of Uganda member firm, now known as RSM Eastern Africa, Mr John Walabyeki, said the rebranding of the global firm was purely done for strategic reasons.
“Uniting under one brand is an important step in our long-term growth strategy. In an ever more globalised economy, our new brand will further differentiate our offering to leaders of entrepreneurial, growing organisations globally, who want to work with advisers that really take time to understand and care about their business and its drivers,” the RSM International chief executive officer, Ms Jean Stephens, was quoted in a press statement issued last week.

She continued: “The new single brand enables us to better promote our resources and expertise and provide an enhanced, seamless service offering to clients allover the world. From now on, all our member firms now trade as ‘RSM’, but continue being independent legal entities within the network.”
On his part, Mr John Walabyeki said: “ The global unification of the brand will serve as a powerful statement of the network to go to market with a single identity. Quality is our passion and we are committed to providing this to our clients in the areas of audit, tax and consulting services.”

Other rebrands
Some of the local operations that have in the last five years taken to rebranding include Zain Uganda which rebranded to Uganda Airtel following its purchase by an Indian telecommunication giant, Bharti Airtel in mid-2010. But before that it was known as Celtel Uganda before morphing into Zain Uganda and currently Airtel Uganda. AIG insurance firm also rebranded to Chartis.