The creation of hiboo; the brand came naturally!
Naming a business is one of the hardest things founders need to do. It’s not just about finding a catchy brand name; it’s about storytelling and imagery that embodies what the company stands for. We wanted our brand to stand out in a way that customers instantly noticed a difference. Encapsulating the natural beauty, innovation, and immense opportunity of our Region and Canada into one brand proved to be an arduous task. However, we were fortunate enough to have plenty of incredible focal points to draw upon. The question was not, “what is hiboo?”, but rather “Who, who?” is hiboo?– a passionate group of people dedicated to enabling and connecting communities via leading-edge technology, that better serve the Ottawa-Gatineau region.
What's In A Name?
Hiboo is a play on the French word Hibou which means “Owl”. An Owl is a bird that is synonymous with intelligence and wisdom. During dark challenging times, the owl can peer through the darkness and guide a way forward. The two “oo’s” represent the owl’s visionary set of eyes that capture nearly a 360-degree view of the landscape, and everything within it and focus on what is important. The double “oo’s” also represent Hiboo networks’ technologically advanced and secure fibre optic loop surrounding the Ottawa-Gatineau region. In bringing Ottawa to the forefront of telecommunications, we felt it appropriate that the “o” in Ottawa be represented in “hiboo”.
Beyond clever word play, we were inspired by our rich heritage and the pristine natural Canadian beauty of the Ottawa Gatineau Region. With that, we are committed to social responsibility and being a positive supporter of maintaining Canada’s treasured environment. The owl, our wildlife, our pristine landscapes, and the protective role of our communities are all fundamental aspects of our hiboo brand ideology.
We invite everyone to join our parliament (a group of owls) and #followourflight as we help to lead the region towards a brighter, socially responsible future, through world-class fiber-based connectivity and internet services. In 2023 and beyond, we are committed to connecting the Ottawa-Gatineau region through the fastest, most secure, and reliable, fiber communications network possible. We will be a partner in vital collaboration, and innovation, and help to enable our Region as a global technology hub.
Why was hiboo the perfect name?
hiboo leadership provided us with these insights:
‘We wanted a name that represented our value proposition. As a new entrant in the market, it was important that the name represent our core values, that we are local, trustworthy, reliable, and secure. Since our shareholders are the city of Ottawa, we value community and our customers, we are passionate about connectivity being the future of economic development in our city and finally, we believe that it is important to create a company that invests back in the city infrastructure. I believe the Hiboo name can capture this value proposition really well.” - Mark Fernandes, Executive Vice President, Hiboo Networks
A New Brand – A New Customer Experience!
As hiboo aspires to be a different type of brand amongst telecommunications and technology companies, it all starts and ends with the customer experience. Canadians are naturally hardworking and supportive so accountability and customer service are in our nature. In telecommunications, the customer point of view has become a neglected necessity, and this pushed us to create Hiboo. We provide a new and differentiated customer experience with best-in-class service to our customers. Our mandate is to always remain transparent, straightforward, and simple in every transaction. In this support of our Region, hiboo aspires to intelligently connect those who employ, empower, and inspire Ottawa-Gatineau. In this diverse and bi-lingual environment, our mandate naturally led our service model to focus on prioritizing both English and French languages. In each interaction with our people, our services, and even our billing, customers will notice a difference in their experience with hiboo.
Hiboo has a vision that sees the bigger picture. As a driver of innovation, hiboo knows the value of investing back into the communities we service through social programs, new technology, and city infrastructure. Providing those less fortunate or disadvantaged with access to information and communications is vital for enabling our Region’s future. We will listen to the needs of our community and prioritize initiatives that allow hiboo to have a positive impact. As members of our communities, hiboo is beholden to our promises and committed to these core values.
“A wise, old owl sat in an oak. The more he saw, the less he spoke. The less he spoke, the more he heard. Why can’t we be like that wise old bird?” – Edward Hersey Richards
At hiboo, we watched, listened, and learned – Now we are ready to partner with you!
