There are other articles that mention that it cost them over $50 million a year to license the Vodafone name, so changing it makes some sense. But they could have picked a better name. Then googled it to see if anyone else had used it.Esther Taunton
12:00, Sep 29 2022
A far right group which now shares its name with one of the country’s largest telcos says the move will boost its own visibility.
On Wednesday, Vodafone announced it was rebranding to become One New Zealand, a name already in use by far right organisation the One New Zealand Foundation (ONZF).
While Vodafone chief executive Jason Paris took to Twitter to defend the rebrand on Wednesday night, ONZF was welcoming the telco’s apparent oversight.
Ross Baker, researcher for the group, said it would not consider changing its name, which it had used since its founding.
“If Vodafone wants to use “One New Zealand” then it could give the ONZF a far better coverage when Vodafone customers google “One New Zealand” and get the “One New Zealand Foundation” by mistake,” he said.
ONZF opposes the return of land to Māori under the Treaty of Waitangi, a document it claims is fraudulent, and campaigns for “one law, one flag, one New Zealand.”
Companies Office records show ONZF was registered as an incorporated society in 1989. It was dissolved and removed from the register in June this year.
One NZ was also the name of a now-defunct political party which was opposed to Treaty of Waitangi settlements and wanted Māori seats in Parliament and the Waitangi Tribunal abolished.
Some social media users were quick to criticise Vodafone’s rebrand, saying it sounded “like a name for a fascist or white nationalist organisation or political party” and questioning whether Vodafone had checked the name for any racist or political overtones.
Others pointed out the link to ONZF, calling the group “incredibly racist and dishonest.”Jason ParisBen Moore
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Sep 28, 2022
@BenTM_Journo
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Vodafone CEO told me the first time he heard that One NZ name had a negative history was post-announcement. Said it was done now and would work to redefine what One NZ meant, pushing for recognition of the benefits of diversity.
Cannot understand how the brand agency missed this.
@JasonCParis
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One NZ has landed extremely well. 100% love that we are reinvesting the Voda brand licensing $ back in NZ, & that One NZ stands for the best of NZ (diversity, inclusion, trust, innovation etc) Ultimately we won’t be judged on the name but the actions we take. That’s our focus.
On Wednesday night, Paris tweeted that One NZ had “landed extremely well.”
“100% love that we are reinvesting the Voda brand licensing $ back in NZ, & that One NZ stands for the best of NZ (diversity, inclusion, trust, innovation etc) Ultimately we won’t be judged on the name but the actions we take. That’s our focus,” he wrote.
Unfortunately they are the cellphone company I'm currently using. Time to switch.
