Reports show that Vodafone is loosing market share in major markets. At the same time the multi million EUR project Live! is being dumped. 150 m EUR is a number we often hear when it comes to the total marketing investment in Live! How long does it take to build a household brand and great business? Most people would say 10 years. Vodafone Live! must be one of the better known brands for mobile internet content and services. And now this huge investment will be written off. Instead of building on a good position.

It has to be said that Vodafone Live! has also been great for all content providers in Europe since it has helped awareness and was one fo the drivers of standard content provider agreements outside Norway. The 60/40 split became standard and agreements as well. Five years ago one of the bigger breaking points was the contractual burden and heavy work just to get a deal signed that actually worked and did not cost too much in legal fees. That changed rapidly partly thanks to Vodafone introducing their standard agreements for Live!

Vodafone are taking many steps in the direction to become a really smart pipe. I just doubt if the brand investment in Vodafone Live! should be thrown away. Why not do all the new cool things under this brand still? Awareness and discovery are the two big stumbling blocks next to total cost of useage for a consumer. Vodafone had it going well with the Live! brand. Keeping up the good job with widgets and other things would fit under that brand.

We have to remember that we are not in high-tech, but in a highly commoditised content/entertainment world. Branding and marketing is very important in that setting. Especially since we are still suffering from the negative press and sentiments that some scoundrels have given with their rip-off never ending subscription models. So it is with sadness I see one of the better known and trusted European brands for mobile entertainment bide farwell.