Virgin Media 'ready to kick some ass'

James Mooney, chairman of Virgin Media, said that he was extremely proud of what his team had achieved to launch the new brand, and were “ready to kick some ass” in beating its competitors.

Speaking at a press conference to launch the new company, chief executive Steve Burch added that whilst customer service had been a weakness for NTL in the past, as a Virgin brand, they would now turn it into a strength of the new company. “It’s all about the customers, and we’re putting them first. Virgin starts by putting the employee first, which eventually flows its way to the customer,” he said.

While the company has experienced almost 100% turnover of staff in the past year, Burch said that since the rebrand was announced, staff have had a more “stick around” attitude and have been more positive. “We couldn’t be more excited – seeing it all happening gets everyone ‘stoked-up’,” he added.

Virgin boss Richard Branson, who was also on stage, revealed that the team hadn't intended to launch the company for another three months, but as they had been “happy” with the progress, they had decided to bring it forward.

Branson implied that there was a lot of confusing messages within the multi-media market as and said that as with his mobile, trains and airlines brands, the new company would offer consumers an easier to understand offering, “It’s up to our advertising people to get the message across that our offers are better than our competitors, fairer and simpler,” he said. A large-scale multi-media ad campaign, featuring actress Uma Thurman, has launched this week.

In retail, the company plans to open 15 extra Virgin Mobile stores, and increase the presence of Virgin Media products in Virgin Megastores. The executives also revealed that it was in discussions with a major national retailer to launch in-store concessions.

When asked whether the “fight” with Sky was similar to that he faced with British Airways when Virgin Atlantic was launched, Branson said: “Sky is as dominant as BA were 20 years ago, so it’s a challenge, but it’s fitting market for Virgin to move into.”

The Virgin Group boss was led from Covent Garden’s Royal Opera House, where the conference was being held, by burlesque performer Dita Von Tesse. Tesse and Branson drove off in a horse-drawn carriage around the corner to the Piazza where Branson will spend the rest of the day in a clear Perspex box. The “glass lounge” will see Branson only be able to access the outside world through Virgin Media’s quad-play services, and will be joined by a range of celebrities. A website has been set up so consumers can decide how Branson’s day pans out – www.virginmedia.com/joinin

Branson said: “I’m not sure how I feel about being at the mercy of the public for seven hours but as Virgin Media is all about putting consumers back in control – it’s only fitting that I commit to this from the very beginning.”

Coverage from the box is being shown on Trouble (Virgin TV 140 & Sky 201, 12-3pm), Bravo 2 (Virgin TV 154, Sky 123, 3-6pm), with edited highlights on ftn (Virgin TV 123, Sky 157 & Freeview 20, 6 and 7pm).