Bird, formerly known as MessageBird, has undergone a significant transformation by rebranding and implementing a substantial reduction in SMS prices, positioning itself to compete with industry giant Twilio.
The Amsterdam-based unicorn decided on this rebranding strategy, securing the Bird.com domain name several years ago, reportedly for a considerable sum. Founded in 2011 by Adriaan Mol and Robert Vis, the cloud communications platform for enterprises aims to establish itself as a legacy company with a long-term presence.
In an interview, Vis explained the rationale behind the rebranding, emphasizing the ambition to build a company with lasting impact. The decision to distance themselves from the Bird scooter company, facing financial challenges, underscores their commitment to longevity.
Bird, now offering a comprehensive CRM solution for marketing, sales, and payments across Email, SMS, and WhatsApp, has introduced a dramatic pricing adjustment. The company announced a 40-90% discount on Bird CRM services, notably highlighting a significant 90% reduction in SMS charges.
Accompanying the rebranding is a new marketing campaign featuring a quote from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos: “Your margins are my opportunity.” This move seems strategically aimed at challenging Twilio, which reportedly generates $1.3 billion in profit from SMS.
Vis emphasized the need to shift away from the commoditized space of API providers on top of channels. Bird’s differentiation lies in the belief that the ability to leverage a channel is more crucial than the channel itself. By drastically reducing channel costs, Bird aims to reshape the landscape and encourage providers to focus on delivering added convenience.
In a blog post, Vis highlighted the evolving landscape, stating, “It is no longer about the abstraction layer of APIs. AI changed the game and flipped everything – the next 10 years will be all about infrastructure + application – or how we like to look at it: what you can do with the channel versus merely access to the channel.”
This strategic move by Bird comes at a time when co-founder Vis expressed interest in acquiring companies with Electronic Money Institution (EMI) and/or Payment Institutions (PI) licenses, as indicated in a viral LinkedIn post.
As Bird positions itself for a new era in cloud communications, the rebranding and pricing adjustments signal a bold step towards redefining the industry’s landscape. The company’s focus on innovation and value-added services positions Bird as a formidable contender in the competitive market.