2006 TECHNOLOGY & COMMUNICATIONS WINNER

CAMPAIGN - The 3G launch Breathing Life Into The Launch Through Consumer Engagement

AGENCY - Ikon Communications

CLIENT - Vodafone

SPONSORED BY
www.apn.com.au/

OBJECTIVE

Vodafone wanted to encourage live! 2.5G customers to migrate to Vodafone's 3G service rather than to competitors, as well as extend the communication to potential Vodafone customers. Because Vodafone had fewer customers and perceived credentials in the 3G market, the campaign needed to establish a greater emotional connection with the audience. As music track downloads were the lead content proposition for the launch, Vodafone was also competing with iPods.

CAMPAIGN

As the last mobile provider to launch into the 3G market, Vodafone faced a major task. It had fewer customers than Optus and Telstra, and 3 had been in the market since 2003. Through extensive research, two core insights were unearthed: with new technology people need to experience the service/product to understand it, and mobile "play" increased during "deadtimes" in the day.

These insights had not been discovered by competitors which use a traditional approach to reach the 3G audience and provide the overall market education around 3G. Because of this, Vodafone was able to "own" the experience of the service and the higher emotional ground. From here a connection strategy was developed - "Bring my deadtime/downtime to life."

This insight enabled the creation of many different, innovative and interactive media firsts - from holograms to interactive audio walls to an experiential program covering buses, shopping malls and airports. Other campaign components included radio partnerships, 15-second idents directly after South Park credits and product placement on STV channels, which demonstrated Vodafone Live!'s content offerings.

RESULTS

The campaign increased new live! customers by 45% on set targets. This had been based on other 3G launches across the global Vodafone network and represented the best 3G rollout to date. The lead content proposition, music track downloads, increased considerably in comparison to other content platforms - up by 70% in the first month, compared to activity in the weeks before launch.

Across the experiential bus program, over 15,000 commuters experienced the 3G service, with another 19,000 exposed to the suite of 3G content services while on-board. Across the airport program, 3,866 people went through a demonstration of the 3G VMC service, with over 306 genuine leads.

JUDGE'S COMMENTS

"Very well articulated strategy that demonstrated innovative use of many channels. Impressive results for a late entrant into the market."