I noticed that Bell replaced the signs on their Central Office in one of the towns up north. The old lettering for ‘The Bell Telephone Company of Canada’ still shows through on the brick wall.
I wonder how soon the new Bell Aliant Regional Trust sign will go up. I also wonder how many customers are going to switch carriers because the new company name just isn’t as familiar as ‘The Bell’.
Bell often owns the one brick building in many small towns. The building might be seen as emblematic of the strength and permanence of the company.
In an era of ad agency-created corporate brands, like Cingular, Verizon, and even Aliant, you need to be cautious before shedding a brand name like Bell in small town Ontario and Quebec.