Maxis integrates its brands

Malaysia's leading mobile operator Maxis Communications Bhd has embarked on a rebranding exercise that will integrate its two leading brands, Maxis and Hotlink within a more comprehensive corporate identity.

Its chief marketing officer Matthew Willsher said the brand refresh exercise will enable the company to achieve a consistent brand image across Maxis and Hotlink.

"It is timely to bring both of our biggest brands closer together as they have been in the market for over a decade.

"The improved synergy will further elevate our brand equity, as we move towards a new beginning in brand expression," he said after unveiling Hotlink's new logo in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Willsher said the integration of the two brands will be achieved through embedding elements of the Maxis logo into the Hotlink logo.

He said both brands will be built on the same core brand values of creative, simple and trustworthy, but with distinct personalities of their own.

"With the Hotlink brand refresh exercise, we will seek to integrate and evolve to provide even more value to our customers," Willsher said.

The Maxis brand, which is traditionally associated with postpaid activities was launched in 1995 while the Hotlink prepaid brand was introduced in 1999.

"The new Hotlink brand refresh campaign is about bringing the brand values to life in a way that is youthful, refreshing and vibrant," Willsher said, noting Maxis has about 9 million prepaid customers to date.

He said when Hotlink was launched, it became the number one prepaid service provider in Malaysia within nine months.

It reinforced the leadership position by continuously exceeding customers expectations in voice and short messaging system, music, games, rewards and mobile Internet.

"In rewards, this year alone, Hotlink has given out 1.5 billion free SMSes and to date, Hotlink Rewards has rewarded loyal users with over RM65 million worth of free calls and SMSes," Willsher said.

As part of efforts to increase its customer base especially in the prepaid segment, Maxis will offer BlackBerry to prepaid customers with a range of service packages ranging from email to social messaging functions from as low as RM28 per month.