News 2005
Virgin Mobile invites nation to Show Off
17/10/2005
- New TV advertising campaign supports launch of
`Virgin Mobile Pay Monthly’
17.10.05: Virgin Mobile today launches a high-profile advertising campaign supporting its new contract service, `Virgin Mobile Pay Monthly’, Britain’s most consumer-friendly contract. The ads, with the strapline - ‘Show Off or Money Off’ - highlight Virgin Mobile’s ground-breaking contract offer:
Show Off - customers receive a new phone at the end of their contract if they renew it
or
Money Off – customers’ monthly charges will be automatically reduced at the end of their contract term, if they keep their phone. No other network offers their customers this choice.
Virgin Mobile, unlike other networks, will not continue to charge customers expensive `line rental’ after the contract has finished.
The new campaign is the next instalment in Virgin Mobile’s history of producing groundbreaking and humorous ads. Created by Virgin Mobile’s advertising agency RKCR/Y&R, the campaign will air for four weeks from October 17th. Three humorous TV executions bring the `Show Off or Money Off’ strapline to life.
1: Wedding opens on a dance floor of a wedding party where the bride and groom are enjoying their first dance to Liberty X’s ‘Just A Little Bit’. A guy walks up to the DJ and hands him a brand new mobile phone. The DJ interrupts the song to say that a new phone has been handed in. The same guy goes up and collects the phone to the bemusement of the DJ and the rest of the guests.
2: Lovers opens with a girl hastily squashing a bag into the boot of her packed car, getting in and driving away. A young man comes hurtling out of the front door and starts chasing her car down the street and shouting her name. The woman stops the car and looks at him hopefully as he says: ‘Tara! Wait! There’s one thing that I wanted to say’ – ‘Check out my new phone’. He then shows her his brand new mobile phone. She sighs and drives away leaving him standing in the road holding his phone.
3: Dog Show opens on a pedigree dog show, with owners proudly parading their prize-winning dogs around a show ring. They are suddenly joined in the ring by a man proudly trotting along showing off his brand new mobile phone much to the astonishment of the spectators.
All the ads close with the line ‘New Virgin Mobile contracts. Guaranteed new phone after 12 months or money off your bill. Virgin Mobile. Show off or money off’.
There will also be an outdoor poster campaign to support the TV advertising which will launch on October 24th. Large, ‘spangly’ posters, to support the `Show Off’ angle of the TV ads, will appear in key sites in London, Manchester and Liverpool, and press advertising to run in consumer magazines and national newspapers will provide additional support.
James Kydd, Virgin Mobile’s Brand Director said: “This move is the latest example of Virgin Mobile putting the consumer first. We have continually developed new and innovative products that challenge the market, and this is one of our best. Our new ads cleverly demonstrate our key point of difference, every contract customer will have the chance to ‘show off’ with a new phone every 12 months, or get `money off’ their bill. We hope it makes everyone on a contract stop and think about what they are paying for and shakes up the market.”
James Murphy, CEO of RKCR/Y&R said: “Virgin Mobile is yet again redefining the market: unlike other networks, customers don’t have to badger or threaten to leave the network in order to receive a great offer: it’s part of the new Virgin Mobile contract. We’re changing advertising direction to reflect the quality of the new contract offer.”
The ads were created by Rob Messeter, Yu Kung and Andy Brittain from RKCR/Y&R, and directed by James Howarth of Therapy Films.
Creative Credits:
Client: James Kydd, Brand Director, Virgin Mobile
Agency: RKCR/Y&R
Agency Planner: Ian Leslie
Agency Account Director: Georgina Lobo
Creatives: Rob Messeter, Yu Kung, Andy Brittain
Director: James Howarth
Production Company: Therapy Films
Media Planning: Andrew Stephens
Media Planning Agency: Goodstuff
Media Buying Agency: MG:OMD.
Exposure: National TV, outdoor, press
| For further information or stills please contact: | |
| Henry’s House: | |
| Krissy Knights: | 0207 291 3035 |
| or krissy@henryshouse.com | |
| Rachel Moule: | 0207 291 3033 |
| or rachel@henryshouse.com | |
| Virgin Mobile: | |
| Virgin Mobile Press Office: | 0845 600 6272 |
| or press.office@virginmobile.com | |
| Jo Baker: | 07941 233300 |
| or jo.baker@virginmobile.com | |
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 5.6 million customers.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600; on the web at www.virginmobile.com or on the high street at approximately 5,000 outlets including Virgin Mobile Stores within Virgin Megastores, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Dixons, Phones 4 U, Curry's, Comet, Tesco, Asda, John Lewis, Argos, TOMO, Woolworths, Toys R Us and Ryman plus hundreds of independents mobile phones dealers and available via Shop Direct, Littlewoods, Grattan and Empire home shopping channels.
Virgin Mobile Pay Monthly is currently available in selected Virgin Mobile Stores, The Carphone Warehouse and at www.virginmobile.com
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.
Virgin Mobile's customers were found to be the most-satisfied mobile consumers in the pre-pay sector for two years running in 2005 and 2004, according to the surveys by J.D. Power and Associates. Virgin Mobile is also featured in `The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For’ list 2005 and is part of the FTSE4Good Index.
