Allstream Satisfying Deal Requirements

The Situation

Private investors bought AT&T’s business-to-business unit in Canada and undertook a capital restructuring. This national provider of IP services, unified communications, and voice services via its 30,000 kilometer fiber network, was rebranded as Allstream. The complex endeavor included the transition of all branded assets within AT&T Canada, CNCP, ACC, Netcom, MetroNet, and Montage-DMC.

The Challenge

Allstream had to remove all evidence of the AT&T brand or face financial penalties imposed by AT&T, as stipulated in the purchase agreement. Furthermore, establishing brand recognition rapidly was critical to address the employee and customer retention risk inherent in the transition. BrandActive was engaged to develop a strategic approach that would, within six months, ensure elimination of legacy logos and create brand impact. The magnitude of the task posed significant challenges with respect to control over costs, quality, and brand compliance.

The Solution

BrandActive assisted Allstream in scoping the initiative and developing transition strategies. We created a project organizational structure and a process for managing the rollout that would ensure that branding objectives were achieved and cost controls maintained.

Allstream utilized an internal project management life cycle model called the Marketing Initiative Development (MID). This model consisted of stages, gates, governance, checkpoints, and sign-offs—all supported by tools and templates. We paired BrandActive’s own implementation model with the Allstream MID methodology to ensure integration with Allstream’s internal workflows.

The Results

Less than six months after launch, research indicated that the new Allstream brand was well established. Allstream’s customer base remained strong and was in fact growing. Customer satisfaction research indicated strong recognition and acceptance of the new brand. In a situation that intrinsically creates a high-level of uncertainty, surveys showed that the speed and success of the brand transition contributed to a secure sense that the company was a viable contender. The project closed two months ahead of schedule, came in 30% under budget, and included a much larger range of branded assets than was originally anticipated.

We had a strong project management culture and internal capability and had done it all before. But this time the stakes were higher and we needed a strong brand implementation partner to ensure that we did it right. The guidance and expertise that BrandActive brought to Project Genesis was invaluable. Completing a $25 million, marketing-focused project ahead of schedule and under budget is truly a notable feat.

— former Director of Marketing, Allstream