Freeserve brand goes today as Wanadoo takes over

by Jennifer Whitehead,, Brand Republic 28-Apr-04, 08:00

LONDON - One of the UK's biggest internet brands disappears today, as Freeserve becomes Wanadoo, offering customers the chance of broadband internet connection for £17.99 a month.

Wanadoo is currently the second-biggest ISP in Europe and will add 2.6m customers by dropping the Freeserve brand, giving it the market-leading position in France and the UK. The new portal Wanadoo.co.uk goes live today.

To mark its launch, it is offering 512k broadband plus free connection and modem for £17.99 a month, and 1MB broadband for £34.99 a month. It is also running a new advertising campaign using the slogan "Whatever you Wanadoo", set to the music 'Heroes' by David Bowie. The ad is called 'eccentrics' and was created by M&C Saatchi.

The company has told Freeserve customers that the rebranding will bring improvements to the product range and service, and assured them that there will be no need to change their Freeserve internet addresses. Initially, Wanadoo will offer free McAfee Security software for all customers, plus free email virus and spam filters.

Other promotions will include £9.99 credit to the Wanadoo Music Club as well as two month's access to the music video club, Music Brigade.

Wanadoo has been pushing the rebrand in a £20m advertising campaign created by M&C Saatchi showing the hippies, who had represented the brand launched by retailer Dixons in 1998, being made over into stylish individuals.

Eric Abensur, CEO of Wanadoo in the UK, said: "We now represent the most exciting and innovative ISP brand in Europe and our customers will see that in everything we do.

"Our exciting new broadband offer is just the start, and we look forward to further enriching our broadband product range in the next few months for the benefit of all our customers."

Click here to watch the ad.

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