News
Virgin Mobile’s Great Rent Escape attracts 33,000 University students
24/02/2005
Over 33,000 University students from all over the country have been battling it out to become one of the 25 selected finalists in Virgin Mobile’s Great Rent Escape. They will be competing against one another to win arguably the most coveted student prize ever – a rent free house for a year with three of their mates, and that’s not all, there are ten houses up for grabs!
So now, the 25 finalists have three and a half weeks to campaign for votes in the most attention grabbing and imaginative way - the ten who get the most votes bag the prize. All activity will be geared towards getting themselves known throughout their University town and the local media to gain as many votes as possible and become the luckiest student around.
James Kydd, Brand Director at Virgin Mobile, said: "Many students suffer from extortionate rents and dodgy landlords and Virgin Mobile wants to help them. By joining The Great Rent Escape ten lucky students and three of their mates can escape the tyranny of rent and prove they’re worthy of a rent free house for a year.
“Virgin Mobile also offers students a great deal which suits their needs - no line rental, no peak rates, 3p texts and low-cost monthly Bundles to use on any UK network at any time - what more could a student want?”
Now in its fourth year, the Virgin Mobile Great Rent Escape competition gives Britain’s students the chance to live it up with three mates without having to pay for accommodation for an entire year. All competitors have to do to win, is to convince the rest of the population to vote for them using their initiative, powers of persuasion and ability to blag. To vote for your local student, go online to www.greatrentescape.com , you can chart their progress there too. In return for your support, you’ll be automatically entered into a prize draw so could find yourself the proud owner of an iPod mini, Samsung camera phone, or STA Travel vouchers.
The final ten winners will be announced at the end of March and those not lucky enough to make it through will receive a month’s worth of Tesco shopping vouchers and an iPod.
STUDENT OFFER: Virgin Mobile is now offering all students £25 free airtime and a 10% discount on all the latest phones. For details see: www.greatrentescape.com or call 0845 6000 070.
For more information please contact:
| Virgin Mobile | |
| Amber Morris: | 07941 255400 or amber.morris@virginmobile.com |
| Joanne Baker: | 07941 233300 or jo.baker@virginmobile.com |
| Henry’s House | |
| Rachel Moule: | 020 7291 3033 or rachel@henryshouse.com |
| Krissy Knights: | 020 7291 2035 or krissy@henryshouse.com |
Notes to editors
*Big Red House/Great Rent Escape has won the following awards:
Best Local Advertising, Marketing & PR campaign - Mobile News Awards 2003
Gold Award for integration, innovation & creative excellence - ISP Awards 2003
IT and Telecoms (GOLD) - European Promotional Marketing Awards
Best Creative Execution (BRONZE) - European Promotional Marketing Awards
About Virgin Mobile:
Virgin Mobile Holdings (UK) plc, the UK's largest mobile virtual network operator, is majority owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and uses T-Mobile's network. Since its launch in November 1999, Virgin Mobile has attracted more than 5 million customers.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 08456000 600; on the web at www.virginmobile.com or on the High Street at approximately 5,000 outlets including Virgin Mobile Specialist Stores, Virgin Megastores, Tesco, Asda, John Lewis, Littlewoods, Argos, The Link, Dixons, Carphone Warehouse, Curry's, Comet, Phones 4 U, TOMO, Woolworths, Toys R Us and Ryman.
Virgin Mobile employs approximately 1,400 staff at three sites, Trowbridge, London and Daventry, and has an outsourced customer service centre operated by approximately 200 staff in Middlesbrough. It has been voted one of the top 50 places to work in Britain for two years running in an annual Financial Times survey.
Virgin Mobile's customers are considered the most satisfied in the pre-pay sector according to a recent UK survey by market researchers JD Power and Associates.
