KPN undresses Fred from Het Net

November 4th, 2009, AAB

Fred from Het Net

For several years internet provider Het Net ran an advertising campaign with a very distinctive colour (purple) and character. Fred (‘Fred from Het Net’ rhymes!) was a bit of an odd character. But together with Het Net’s proposition, transparency, he became a strong ad property and the brand built up a fair amount of clients since 2004. However, since a few years mother company KPN (formerly the only national telco provider) is consolidating its brand portfolio and decided to kill Het Net – earlier it already gulped down the brand ‘Planet’. KPN asked Lowe/Draftfcb to kill Het Net in style though. The agency built a dedicated website (don’t go there, if you don’t have broadband) where Fred gives away all the props that were used in 5 years of advertising. He even takes off his wig and moustache! On the website you can click on the different props and leave your name and contact details – aha, quid pro quo! – if you want to have one. Although it might be inspired by agency 2009 giving away its inventory at the end 2008 (when its name changed into 2009), it is a sympathetic move of KPN and might be a smart way to prevent Het Net clients from reevaluating their internet contract in the extremely competitive market of internet providers.

3 Comments on “KPN undresses Fred from Het Net”

  1. Advertijs says:

    I think it’s a waste of money this campaign. The clients from Het Net are only happy to be upgraded to KPN without having to pay more for their contract.

  2. Anton says:

    The other day I read a suspiciously positive review in magazine BRIGHT about this campaign: Turned out the Lowe/Draftfcb planner on this campaign herself wrote the article – not mentioning she was involved. Dodgy.

    http://www.bright.nl/fred-ruimt-op

  3. Johan says:

    Lijkt wel erg op de Liquidatieloterij van 2008 (toen het bureau 2009 ging heten)….

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