The telecommunications corporation, Eir, has unveiled a fresh brand identity titled “Eir for all”. This marks the brand’s first significant makeover since 2015, and the €2 million rebranding venture signifies a significant shift for the company. This major revamp comes in the wake of the firm making a €1.2 billion investment over five years in infrastructure and customer care.
Eir’s managing director of consumer and small business, Susan Brady, deemed “Eir for all” to illustrate a new era for a company that is versatile, inclusive and contemporary. The brand’s transformation was announced in front of more than 3,000 employees at its Heuston South Quarter headquarters, its four customer service hubs in Sligo, Cork, Limerick, and Waterford, and its store staff.
She mentioned the new brand identity would prominently feature in the company’s logo and would be ubiquitous. The overhaul has been a collaborative effort with Gemini, a brand strategy consulting company, and TBWA\Dublin, a creative agency. The marketing endeavour will span numerous channels like television, radio, digital, print, outdoor, and cinema. The campaign will star a range of individuals, including a TikTok entertainer, a young hurler, a Special Olympics contestant, a family of gamers, and a crew of surfers.
Brady disclosed that the motive to redefine Eir started two years ago. The aim is to alter how Eir is perceived and what it’s recognized for. She confessed that they needed to tackle some lingering perception issues and damage to their reputation following the pandemic.
This marks Eir’s initial new brand identity since it removed “com” from its name nine years ago. She added that there is a significant amount of work remaining, but Eir is seeing an increase in market share in fibre broadband and mobile sectors.
Eir recently announced a €1.3 billion revenue for 2023, an increment of 4 per cent, while its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation saw a 3 per cent drop to €591 million due to escalating costs.
Eir has seen a 3% rise in its fibre broadband clientele, reaching a total of 869,000 by the end of 2023. Additionally, the company’s postpaid customer base has experienced a robust growth of 12% year on year, now boasting over 1.1 million customers. The overall mobile customer figures for Eir stand at over 1.4 million, indicating an 8% annual increase.
Eir has also been investing in store refurbishments, with €4 million put towards renovating 21 stores, with additional locations projected to launch soon. As Brady, the manager, stated, retail commerce is thriving again and serves as a primary platform for customer communication.
Eir has been actively working on improving its customer service practices following significant criticism in 2020 regarding their customer care management. This criticism led to a public apology from former CEO, Carolan Lennon, during a meeting with the Oireachtas communications committee.
Oliver Loomes, who took over as CEO of Eir in early 2022, spoke about Eir’s massive investment of €1.2 billion as an indication of a “transformative journey” for the company. He commented that they have effectively moved to onshore operations and established a new customer care function to provide superior service. Further emphasizing the company’s commitment to transformation and excellence, Loomes highlighted their endeavour to revitalise and reposition the Eir brand, affirming their dedication to all customers.