This article was originally published in the Brand Finance Global 500 2024 report
Deutsche Telekom is now not only the most valuable German brand of all time, but also the 9th ranked brand globally. These huge brand milestones follow Deutsche Telekom's 17% increase in brand value, now valued at USD73.3 billion.
Additionally, Brand Finance's research highlights Deutsche Telekom's leadership in customer satisfaction metrics, driving a Brand Strength Index increase to 83.0 out of 100.
Interview with Ulrich Klenke
Chief Brand Officer,
Deutsche Telekom
In Brand Finance's rankings, T has become the most valuable German brand of all time. What do you think have been the key contributing factors to this incredible achievement?
The amazing results confirm the importance of our work, and that Deutsche Telekom is on the right track. In recent years we not only implemented a consistent global brand strategy but also relentlessly invested in our network quality and crucial customer-oriented initiatives. It seems like now, it has all come together. In 2023, for the first time ever, nine out of our ten markets in Europe have achieved the number one position in customer satisfaction. In addition, our emerging leadership in network performance throughout Europe and the US, significantly contribute to bolstering brand perceptions.
Beyond our commitment to excellence, I think people have now noticed that in an increasingly digital world, the company is willing to take active responsibility for both our customers and the society as a whole. We are proud that the T is increasingly perceived as a strong symbol for the connection of people, because in the end, it’s all about the infinite opportunities and the social togetherness connectivity can provide.
This year, you introduced the inaugural unified global claim for the group: "Connecting your world." How will this unified global claim be implemented in day-to-day operations to surpass competitors and ignite additional growth?
For us the brand claim, above all, is a powerful tool to support our global brand approach “One company. One brand”. For the very first time, every country organization shows commitment to one common brand concept by using the same tagline, in the same language. This brings us closer to our goal of creating one global voice for the digitalization of private and business customers. Beyond this, the brand claim is easy to understand and covers both the human and the technological side of connectivity. In daily operations it suits all different contexts and offerings of our multi-layered company. But what I like most about it, is that “Connecting your world.” places the primary focus on our customers and thus puts their requirements and expectations at the heart of our activities.
Looking ahead, what future plans and strategies does T have in place to further strengthen the T brand and continue the growth of its brand value?
We know that we can still improve in terms of implementation of our global brand approach and cross-national business and communication activities. Examples like the successful Europe-wide Christmas campaign, or the fantastic spill overs from the Formula 1 engagement of our US colleagues last year in Las Vegas, show the huge potential of international collaboration and present Deutsche Telekom as a true global player. In addition, we won’t stop further integrating our subsidiaries under the T brand umbrella to constantly strengthen brand consistency and to expand our geographical footprint. A digital world knows no borders and industry boundaries are increasingly disappearing. Global customer experience and requirements will continue to grow. We understand that we have to transform ourselves towards a “digital telco” – platform driven, with highly scalable, cross-national propositions. A strong global brand can help to make this change visible and provide guidance beyond national borders.
