“Digital pivot” Plan Ushers in a New Era (and Logos) for PLDT and Smart

Top telecoms embark on a three-year transformation to the digital world with new logos.

PLDT and Smart Executives with its Chairman & CEO Manny V. Pangilinan

Digital service provider PLDT Inc., formerly Philippine Long Distance Company, and its mobile service subsidiary Smart Communications, unveil new logos as part of its brand identity evolution. This is a decisive move towards a more data-driven business, reflecting the current demand of its increasingly digital customer base.

The new branding campaign embodies the PLDT-Smart three-year "digital pivot," a key part of which is the transformation of current networks into the ultimate in data infrastructure capabilities, which will eventually provide customers with a wide array of powerful digital services. 

PLDT-Smart Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan says, "Rather than allow ourselves to be disrupted by new technologies, we are disrupting ourselves. We have embarked on a digital pivot to enable us to serve the increasing needs of our people's digital lifestyle and the country's growing digital economy."

Manny V Pangilian at the unveiling of the new PLDT & Smart Logo

The telecom duo puts its money where its mouth is. The two companies have jointly made a commitment for capital expenditures for this purpose with a PhP43 billion allocation for 2016, and a further PhP100 million more in the pipeline. PLDT is in the midst of acquiring part of the telco assets of San Miguel Corp. which includes the right to use the 700 MHz frequency, more commonly referred to as the  digital dividend. This will significantly increase the telcos' ability to provide powerful and widespread wireless communications such as 5G, even in rural areas. San Miguel has had control over this particular spectrum since 2005.  

In addition,  PLDT and its subsidiaries, including Talas Data Intelligence and Voyager Innovation, are in the midst of developing and providing more efficient and convenient financial and digital technology services to the Group's customers.  Mr. Pangilinan reveals, "We shall lead the digital revolution by embracing the smart life within the organization, pursuing digital innovations and enabling our customers to go digital in their own ways. The biggest winners will be our customers who will have a growing range of choices at their fingertips."

New look

PLDT and Smart now have logos that represent the main thrusts of the Group's business, namely value for customers, meaningful innovations, and outstanding people. The central figure in both logos is appropriately enough a stylized equilateral triangle, which also happens to be the symbol for Greek letter "delta,"  representing change. Mr. Pangilinan explains, "Taken together, these three pillars create tremendous energy that will enable our customers to achieve their limitless potential. The triangle’s three sides support each other. Thus, an inherent strength flows harmoniously among the sides to sustain the structure."

The previous PLDT logo was iconic, an abstraction of the telephone receiver with four sides, and had enjoyed a 33-year stint. The  new logo heralds a welcome change in both look and services. For Smart, the new logo is only the third in its 25-year history.

Recent PLDT innovations

PLDT is fast approaching its ninth decade, but it is still changing lives. At 88 years old, the company has always been at the forefront of communications technology.

• It was the first to offer DSL subscribers with the ability to share data with a Smart mobile subscription
• It launched a wide array of web-capable devices including the Telpad, an online tablet hub that controls home digital services, the TVolutions Stick which converts television sets for use as personal computers, and FamCam, a mobile-enabled CCTV that streams home security footage wirelessly   
• Its subsidiary, Smart, pioneered the deployment of LTE-A, which enabled it to offer 4.5G service in Boracay
• It offered businesses with a series of digital enterprise services through its  SMACS (Social, Mobility, Analytics, Cloud, and Security) platform, including the Philippines' first mobile app using geo-fencing called MarketBuilder