News 2006
Virgin Mobile Rescue Ring pledges an end to disaster dates
11/04/2006
- New research reveals 60% of nation has recently been on a bad date
- Text 22SOS (22767) and receive a call to get you out of your date
- Choose the time for your call in advance
- Richard Branson provides the voice for Rescue Ring
Audio files available on request.
11.04.06: Have you ever been stuck in a disastrous date? Have you ever suffered with small talk and uncomfortable silences? Have you ever wish you were anywhere but there but didn’t want to make a scene? Have you ever called a friend and asked them to call you in ten minutes to get you out of a sticky situation? Well, help is at hand, as today Virgin Mobile is proud to announce the launch of the Virgin Mobile Rescue Ring. Virgin Mobile’s customers can now be safe in the knowledge that the Rescue Ring can get you out of the stickiest of situations, dates and meetings, and we’ll even talk you through what to say! All you have to do is send a text to 22SOS (22767) and Richard Branson will do the rest!
Virgin Mobile customers can simply request a Rescue Ring for either straight away, or a specifically requested time, and their phone will ring to offer them a pre-recorded rescue message. Richard Branson will then come onto the line to talk you through a range of excuses to get you out of your bad date or meeting, so you simply have to have a conversation with him, and then you’re out of there!
New research from Virgin Mobile has revealed that a staggering 60% of the nation has been on a bad date in the last three months and over 76% of women and 65% of men wish their mobile would ring during a bad date or work meeting to let them escape. Now, thanks to Virgin Mobile’s Rescue Ring, they can easily arrange for that to happen.
There are two ways to use Virgin Mobile’s Rescue Ring:
- A Virgin Mobile customer can choose to receive a Rescue Ring while in a dull meeting or on a bad date. He or she can simply send a blank text to 22SOS (22767) and Richard Branson will call you back in five minutes’ time
- A Virgin Mobile customer can pre-empt what is likely to be a bad date or a dull meeting by sending a text including the time you would like the Rescue Ring (say, 20.15) to 22SOS (22767), and Richard Branson will call you back at that requested time.
In both cases, the Virgin Mobile Rescue Ring will call you back with a short message featuring one of four different messages from Richard Branson, designed to help get you out of your sticky situation.
The Virgin Mobile Rescue Ring costs just 50p per text and call-back, and is only available to Virgin Mobile customers.
Other survey results noted that:
- 40% of people would love to use Rescue Ring to get them out of a work meeting
- 15% of the nation would love a concrete excuse to leave dinner with their partner’s family
- More than a third of women know by the end of the first drink if a date is bad and not going to get better
Alison Bonny, Virgin Mobile spokesperson, comments: ‘We have all been on a date or in meetings when you will your mobile to ring to break the tedium or offer you an excuse to escape. The new Virgin Mobile Rescue Ring offers you the perfect excuse every time, delivered by Richard Branson!’
The Virgin Mobile Rescue Ring service has been built by and is operated by WIN, a leading mobile data services provider.
For more information, please contact:
Henry’s House
Krissy Knights krissy@henryshouse.com 020 7291 3035
Rachel Moule rachel@henryshouse.com 020 7291 3033
Virgin Mobile:
Alison Bonny: alison.bonny@virginmobile.com or 07802 430276
Amber Morris: amber.morris@virginmobile.com or 07940 255400
Virgin Mobile’s new research, conducted by 72Point.com revealed the following:
| 1. | Have you ever wished your phone would ring to provide you with an excuse to get out of a situation? (meetings, parties, dates, family occasions etc) | |||
| a) | Yes | 74% | ||
| b) | No | 26% | ||
| 2. | Have you ever organised a friend to call you at a certain time to get you out of a situation? | |||
| a) | Yes | 43% | ||
| b) | No | 57% | ||
| 3. | Has a friend ever asked you to ring them to get them out of a situation? | |||
| a) | Yes | 49% | ||
| b) | No | 51% | ||
| 4. | Have you been on a bad date in the last three months? | |||
| a) | Yes | 61% | ||
| b) | No | 40% | ||
| 5. | Would you feel more comfortable going on dates if you had a fail-safe back up plan in case you wanted to leave? | |||
| a) | Yes | 77% | ||
| b) | No | 23% | ||
| 6. | When would you love an excuse to leave something? (tick all that apply) | |||
| a) | Dates | 15% | ||
| b) | Work meeting | 40% | ||
| c) | Family occasions | 29% | ||
| d) | Catching up with friends | 4% | ||
| e) | Dinner with your partner's family | 14% | ||
| 7. | What reason do you usually give for getting out of situations that you want to leave? | |||
| a) | There's a problem at work | 15% | ||
| b) | There's a problem at your flat | 12% | ||
| c) | You are sick | 55% | ||
| d) | You have to go and look after a friend | 9% | ||
| e) | An old friend is in town and it's time to catch up | 9% | ||
| 8. | If it is a bad date, when do you decide that you want to leave? | |||
| a) | As soon as I see them | 9% | ||
| b) | I give it one drink | 40% | ||
| c) | Soon as the meal's over | 21% | ||
| d) | I wait until the end of the night | 30% | ||
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 4 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 (contract) is currently available in Virgin Mobile Stores, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Phones 4u, at concessions in WHSmith 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.
*On a 90-day activity basis.
