Vodafone brand makes India debut

0 Comments | AFP, September, 2007

NEW DELHI (AFP) — Global mobile provider Vodafone began using its own name across India Friday following its purchase of an Indian firm, rolling out what the company called one of the world's biggest rebrandings.

Vodafone Plc's media saturation blitz follows its purchase in March of a majority stake in Hutchison Essar from Hong Kong-based Hutchison Telecommunications International for 11.1 billion dollars.

"The re-branding exercise has been good," said a beaming Arun Sarin, chief executive of Vodafone, who was in the financial capital Mumbai to attend a board meeting of the company's new Indian unit.

"We're going to paint the town red," said Sarin in reference to Vodafone's red speech bubble logo, meant to signal the start of a new conversation.

The...