Odido’s big bang rebrand: Lessons from a bold transformation one year after launch

This year marks one year since the Odido brand launches in The Netherlands. It’s incredible how quickly time flies, but even more remarkable is how swiftly people embrace the Odido brand. More and more, I notice that people have almost forgotten which brands Odido replaces.

Over the years, I contributed to many brand transformations, but the rebranding of Odido stands out as truly ‘one of a kind.’

Start with the end in mind

It starts with the way I get involved in Odido’s rebranding journey. At VIM Group, we specialize in managing and organizing large-scale brand transformations. On my very first day as a client partner at VIM Group, I immediately have my former Saatchi & Saatchi client, T-Mobile, on my radar as an interesting prospect. T-Mobile Netherlands is already up for sale by Deutsche Telekom. Additionally, there is a clear trend in the telecom market toward brand portfolio simplification—KPN, for example, integrates the Telfort, XS4ALL, and Hi brands.

It takes some time, but by September 2021, the sale of T-Mobile Netherlands finalizes. Exactly a year later, thanks to Rik Ledder Ledder, CEO of TBWA, I sit at the table with marketing director Leo Hensen and brand manager Rindert de Lange. They ask to set up a ‘Brand Office’ with the goal of developing a completely new brand in secret. The Odido concept is already created by TBWA, but the development and execution of all brand assets still need to happen. Now my experience in both creative agencies and brand management comes into play.

The Brand Office: A Creative Hub in Secrecy

Thus, a unique multidisciplinary "pop-up agency" emerges, where a team of brand designers from TBWA\NEBOKO, digital specialists from CODE D'AZUR INTERACTIVE SL , spatial designers from Day, and brand and design managers from VIM Group | Team Farner work intensely in complete secrecy for nine months. Every Monday, the Odido marketing team comes to the Brand Office to make key decisions on the sprints. For the rest of the week, they focus on running their existing business and brands. Only a very small group within the organization knows what’s about to unfold.

The Brand Office operates from October 2022 to September 2023 under the alias "Studio M" in The NextWeb workspace in Amsterdam West. At its peak, a core team of about 100 creatives and brand management professionals are involved. One of the biggest challenges is maintaining confidentiality. Through multiple levels of onboarding, and strict controls on document sharing and communication, we keep the new brand name and identity hidden. Everyone involved signs NDAs, and there are strict rules of conduct. There’s even a “cover story” to deflect questions from curious onlookers in the workspace.

Collaboration and Creativity Under Pressure

Managing over 1,000 design assets proves to be a major challenge. A robust workflow tool is crucial to keep the design process on track, along with agile working methods and regular reviews. Despite the high pressure, the collaboration within the Brand Office is incredibly successful. Bringing specialists from different agencies into one physical location proves to be key. It enables quick communication and spontaneous collaboration. The cross-pollination of ideas between disciplines inspires creativity, and a strong team spirit develops quickly.

In fact, within a few days, everyone in the Brand Office seems to forget which agency they originally work for. The Brand Office operates as a unified agency with a shared mission. Social activities like lunches and drinks add to the sense of camaraderie.

A Bold "Big Bang" Rebrand

Odido’s rebranding is remarkable for the bold decision to go with a ‘big bang’ strategy. Implementing such a large-scale change all at once—logos, websites, packaging, marketing materials, offices, and 120 physical stores—requires a massive, almost military-like operation. This is a rare approach in rebranding; most brands opt for a gradual or phased transition to minimize risk. But Odido goes all-in, and the result is immediate impact.

From day one, everyone talks about Odido. The brand quickly gains traction in the market, and Odido enters the Kantar BrandZ Top 30 Most Valuable Dutch Brands, debuting at number 13, ahead of well-known names like Amstel, AH, and Bol. The brand equity of Odido already surpasses that of the previous brands it replaces.

Beyond Telecom: A Purpose-Driven Brand

Odido’s ambition isn’t just to create a new telco brand; it seeks to launch a disruptive brand with a clear purpose: to make technology more human. The visual identity deliberately breaks away from traditional category norms. Unlike the existing brands who claim a dominant color (KPN’s green, T-Mobile’s magenta, Vodafone’s red, or Ziggo’s orange), Odido’s designers take inspiration from leading tech brands like Instagram, Meta, Google, and Airbnb. This results in a layered, gradient-based visual identity that stands out in the telecom market.

The brand name “Odido” itself is a bold choice. It doesn’t evoke immediate associations, and that’s exactly its strength. It leaves room for the brand to grow and develop its own meaning. The name also has a pleasing rhythm and is easy to pronounce and remember. Like names such as Twitter and TikTok, Odido shows how powerful short and simple names can be.

A key part of the name development process is avoiding any reference to the telecom sector, unlike names such as T-Mobile, Tele2, or Vodafone. The strategy is to “untelco” the brand and position Odido as a technology company, rather than a traditional telecom brand. By not tying the name to the telecom industry, Odido creates space to expand beyond just telecom services, evolving into a broader technology brand with a human-centered approach to innovation.

Odido’s logo is also noteworthy for its integration of both the word and figurative mark. The brand name is a palindrome—meaning it reads the same forwards and backwards—and this visual symmetry is reflected in the logo’s design. The logo consists of two circles, two half-circles, and a rectangle, forming a symbol that’s instantly recognizable as Odido.

Looking Back: Lessons Learned from Odido’s Rebrand

Now, a year later, I look back on this project with a certain sense of nostalgia, and yes, a bit of pride for the role VIM Group has played in this groundbreaking brand transformation. But more than anything, I am amazed at how quickly Odido carves out its place in the market. The fact that so many people have already forgotten which brands Odido replaces is for me a testament to the power and impact of this rebranding.

There are also some lessons to be drawn from this remarkable case:

Dare to Take Risks: The bold choice of a "big bang" strategy, a disruptive name, visual identity, and brand strategy all pay off with rapid brand equity growth. This reinforces that marketing is entrepreneurship at heart, and entrepreneurship means taking risks.
Secrecy Fosters Collaboration and Creativity: Bringing creative professionals and specialists from different agencies into one secretive location, free from commercial pressures, leads to a collaboration that’s greater than the sum of its parts.
The Power of Unity: By changing all brand assets at once, Odido creates a strong and unified brand identity from day one, ensuring instant recognition in the market.
Dedication Accelerates Progress: Creating a separate Brand Office with a fully dedicated team in an isolated environment outside of the regular business structure boosts speed and efficiency. Isolating the team from daily operational pressure increases focus and quality.
Disciplined Project Management is Key: In complex, multidisciplinary projects like the development of a new brand, disciplined project management is crucial for tracking progress and meeting deadlines, especially when rolling out massive changes across offices and 120 stores in a short time frame.

This article was written by Arjan Kapteijns, the Client partner at VIM Group

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