News 2006
Boys go 007 with their phones and hope to leave women shaken and not stirred
13/11/2006
- Research reveals men use their mobile phones in a bid to attract women
- Many men now consider their mobile as an important status symbol and actively show them off in public
- Virgin Mobile and Sheffield Hallam University team up for pioneering two year research project
13.11.06: Forget fast cars and even faster women, new research into mobile phone usage has revealed that the British men now consider their mobiles as important status symbols – particularly in helping to attract the opposite sex.
The research conducted by Virgin Mobile and Sheffield Hallam University reveals that in an age when technology is king, and competition is rife, men see their phones as a tool to help them impress women. The study observed men and women in various different public locations including: restaurants, bars, coffee shops, shopping centres and pubs.
It revealed that many men believe that ‘Bond-esque’ phones with gadgets including video cameras and mp3 players will make them more desirable to females. This trend looks set to grow with the release of the new James Bond film ‘Casino Royale’ in November, in which new Bond Daniel Craig is seen using a sleek Sony Ericsson K800i mobile phone.
Furthermore, the research which also included focus groups and questionnaire surveys found that in social situations men actively display their phones and its capabilities in a bid to look important and popular. The research suggests that this is done primarily to attract females but also used to show off and gain status with other men in their peer group.
The results are the first to be released from research currently being undertaken by Virgin Mobile and Sheffield Hallam University. They have been working together researching the affects of the mobile phone on modern society.
Dr Simeon Yates, Director of the Cultural, Communication and Computing Research Institute at Sheffield Hallam University said: "We are really pleased to have teamed up with Virgin Mobile on this groundbreaking research project. The first results reveal key differences in how men and women use their mobiles. We have found that men put their mobiles on show a great deal of the time when in public. One interpretation of this is that mobile phones are used as a vehicle to impress women and show off to other men.”
Jo Baker, Virgin Mobile said: “We have always known that mobile phones play an important part of the mating and dating game. It’s no massive surprise to know that their status has grown to that of a key pulling aid. We expect with James Bond hitting screens this week, that the amount of men wanting gadget packed phones will shoot through the roof.”
For further information about the research results or for interviews with Simeon Yates – please contact Henrys House
For more information, please contact:
Henry’s House:
Kate Towey: kate@henryshouse.com or 07734 208981
Krissy Knights: krissy@henryshouse.com or 0207 291 3035
Virgin Mobile:
Virgin Mobile Press Office: 0845 600 6272 or press.office@virginmobile.com
Jo Baker: jo.baker@virginmobile.com or 07941 23300
Simon Dornan: simon.dornan@virginmobile.com or 07847 279666
Sheffield Hallam University:
Lorna Branton: l.branton@shu.ac.uk or 0114 225 5104
About Virgin Mobile:
Virgin Mobile is the UK’s largest mobile virtual network operator and uses T-Mobile's network. Since its launch in November 1999, Virgin Mobile has attracted more than 4 million customers.
Virgin Mobile is part of the ntl:Telewest group. The group is the first to be able to offer `quadruple play’ to customers: mobile and fixed line telephony, broadband internet and television.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600; on the web at www.virginmobile.co.uk or on the high street at approximately 5,000 outlets including Virgin Mobile Stores within Virgin Megastores and selected WHSmiths, The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Phones 4 U, Currys.digital, Comet, Tesco, Asda, John Lewis, Argos, Woolworths, Toys R Us, Ryman, web retailer Dial-a-phone plus hundreds of independent mobile phone 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 from www.virginmobile.co.uk
Virgin Mobile employs approximately 1,700 staff at three sites, Trowbridge, London and Daventry, and has an outsourced customer service centre operated by approximately 200 staff in Middlesbrough.
Virgin Mobile was voted 22nd in the Best Workplaces in the UK Financial Times survey for 2006.
Virgin Mobile is offering its customers 3p per minute Virgin to Virgin voice calls in the UK until March 31st 2007.
