BT has unveiled plans to brand EE as a consumer-oriented brand

This is still a good thing to talk about, but the growing number of BT subscribers is doing whatever they want with connected mobile devices instead of fixed-line broadband and old-fashioned telephones.

In recognition of this generational change, BT silently announced in a blog post on Wednesday that after more than 30 years and some UK high-profile advertising campaigns, its flagship consumer brand will take the back seat to enhance EE in its marketing strategy. .

The company, which was founded as British Telecom in 1980 when it was still part of the post office, and adopted BT as its name and corporate brand in 1991, said it was developing a way to market to consumers to focus on using EE. Identity

It emphasized that the BT brand was not retiring and said that it would play an “important but more focused role” for customers who have separate broadband and landline services. EE will now take center stage, not only for mobile services but also for bundles that include superfast broadband.

Mark Allera, CEO of BT Consumer, said in a blog post, “Having both BT and EE in the already overflowing consumer market means we must have two in everything and this makes life difficult for our customers and our people.” “It simply came to our notice then. Starting today, we are preparing to build the EE brand for our customers with a focus on convergence and future service as our flagship brand. ”

The BT brand will also continue to be used for BT Sport, a pay-TV service that will be part of a joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery and a leading brand for its business-to-business and global operations. BT will be a co-brand in the company’s 550 High Street stores and will appear in advertising campaigns.

BT is one of the largest advertisers in the UK. Media industry sources estimate that the company spent more than m 150m last year on all types of marketing for its BT, EE and Plusnet brands.

Over the years, its TV commercials have featured the late Bob Hoskins – who told viewers to “speak well” in the 1990s – and more recently, Hollywood stars, including Jeremy Rainer, Alex Baldwin and Ryan Reynolds.

EE, which BT acquired for £ 12.5bn in 2016, has existed as a brand since 2012, following the merger of Orange in France and T-Mobile in Germany.

Caster Mann, Director of Consumer and Connectivity at CCS Insight, said: “Running two major consumer brands was not something that BT could carry on indefinitely. For the BT brand, the announcement represents a failure to resonate with the UK’s growing technology-conscious consumers.

“EEBT seems to be better equipped to lead the next chapter in consumer business as it seeks to bring new products and services to market outside of traditional connections.”

BT, which has 20m broadband, phone, TV and landline subscribers, said the EE brand “has captured the hearts of consumers across all populations সাথে with a strong brand that can expand into new areas.”