Contest closed...
--
Other related discussions:
This is awesome...even better than a campaign. Why it doesn't work. Exactly. Why would they send out all of these phones if they haven't solved issues with the phones? And why would they even respond if they aren't willing to deal with individual issues? (Tara)
For my money, the Pinkest phone company (at least among US cell carriers) is Virgin Mobile. What's relevant here, and ironic, is that they're a virtual company running on Sprint's network. They started out selling pre-paid service. It was very cheap - the minimum was $20 / 90 days - but high quality *because it runs on Sprint's network*. They've gradually loosened their business model until ==feels like== "give us money whenever you feel like it". The point (for Pinko marketing) is that they've avoided two messages that are standard for cell phone service: "we see your money before you see our service", and "you can have it OUR way". With Virgin, you can have pre-paid, pre-paid with a daily fee, monthly fee, or free nights and weekends for a monthly fee. They just dropped the cost for text messaging, I think. Their version of a one- or two-year contract is that if you pay them the minimum for four quarters (= $80), they commit to provide service for a year, and you commit to nothing.
It's true the marketing "skin" on the Virgin Mobile web site is for some weird species of red-colored teenager, but I'm 53 and I love it. The reason, naturally, is that it *just works*. You can check your balance, top up, switch plans or window-shop for phones without hassle. You can switch plans regularly. When you go to the web page for a phone, all the information is there, including a summary of features and a link to download the manual.
If you go to the web sites of other carriers (I'm looking at you, Sprint), the first thing you have to do is to provide your zip code to see what you "qualify" for. Puhleeze! The most prominent design feature on the page for a phone I looked at the Sprint site (I picked a phone at random) was the "buy now" button -- which took you to the zip code page. Best of luck downloading the manual for a phone you don't "qualify" for! The message of the web site is perfectly clear -- "we will decide for you what you see and what you get".
At Virgin, the price of the phone is independent of the price of the service. At Sprint, you get "contracts" and "plans". Here's a gem I just pulled off the Sprint site: "Sprint may terminate service if majority of minutes/month are used while roaming." So you commit to them for one or two years, and they commit to what exactly?
Here's another thought experiment and I'll give you your wiki back: find out from the web site what the minimum monthly charge is.
(LagBolt at HotMail .dot. com)
--
Yo here's my suggestion:
- Make all multimedia SMS from this phone completely free (to encourage usage)
- Give all users a free photo/video blog/repository (to encourage sharing)
- Create a user-voted contest for the best videos and pictures of the day (to create buzz)
That's the framework. I did a bit more explaining on my blog, but didn't want to clutter this page =)
--
Here's my two cents, keep in mind I know nothing about cell phones. I don't own one. I tend to communicate in more mundane ways. Since I know nothing of cell phones I'll keep my ideas centered around a Sprint marketing campaign. This'll probably end up being long and rambling but such is my nature.
I'd suggest Sprint reach out to their users and potential users in an effort to co-create the Sprint brand name. Sprint isn't a company so much as a diverse matrix of technology and, more importantly, people, but not just the people whose job it is to keep the company functioning, from the CEO right on "down" to the janitors. Sprint is the people who use Sprint products, maybe an obvious statement. So, in this spirit, I'd suggest they enlist those people to play a role in defining the company. As I see it millions of people are a better creative fountain than a boardroom of suits and even better would be the two co-creating.
So, taking up their "hit up the bloggers" strategy, I'd tweak it to "hit up the community." Instead of giving stuff away to one blogger I'd give it away to their community of readers and contributors. In some ways, it'd be exactly what Tara is doing right now. She's tweaked Sprints idea and opened it up to the community. I'd suggest Sprint just do this from the start.
For example, and just picking a random number, say Sprint was handing out 100 cell phones. I'd double it, make it 200. Bigger ideas require bigger supplies, spend money to make money type of thing. I'd then email a batch of prominent bloggers and tell 'em "hey we've got two cell phones for your community. You decide how to divvy it up with them." I'd also email a bunch of lesser know, obscure bloggers and do the same thing. I'd set up a website for the campaign, maybe a wiki, so everyone would know who's been invited to join, who's been sent the phones and what the communities are doing about it. Probably be wise to drench the site in social web goodness, links, rss, tags, whatever. I then sit back and let "it" happen.
In a sense I'd relinquish control of the campaign to the people. Let them decide how they want to manage the thing. I'd just supply the resources and make sure the whole thing, from my end, was totally transparent. Probably wouldn't hurt to blog about it either, add Sprint's corporate voice to the conversation, taking more of an observational, connecting communities role than a "damn how's it working" one.
It goes without saying these cell phones or whatever it was should be totally and completely free, no strings attached. I get the phone and I should be able to dial Sprint, activate the phone and be in cellular bliss. Probably should have six months of service on there to begin with. If you've got a great product don't hide it behind walls of complications or it's not a great product.
I also wouldn't do this once. I'd do it annually or semiannually or however, kinda The Annual Sprint Blogosphere Give Away type thing. Each time targeting communities not specific people. Heck, you could set up a web site giving people the opportunity to ask to join the campaign each year. Don't pick the people and communities let them pick you. They'll be more invested if it's their choice.
The important aspect of the campaign from a company perspective is to relinquish control and connect with communities. You can empower an individual and that's nice but empowering a community is even more rewarding and potentially more explosive. My two cents at least.
Elohim
Here's a small-bore idea that came from having found, or been with people who found, three cell phones in the past few months. I/we sometimes went to great lengths to get these things back to their owners. They were so greatful, having given the things up for lost or assuming that their minutes had been drained before they realized they'd gone missing, that we felt like benevolent gods for returning them. Now, I don't have a cell phone either, but obviously I know ho important they are to people.
So...the idea: reward people who do ther right thing. Sprinkle some phones around in coffee houses, restaurants, etc. Put a note on them: "If found, please call 555-1212. The person calls and gets someone on the line who says, "Hey, thanks for being honest and helpful. Keep the phone and tell us what you think of it before you return it."
A bit too gimmicky, perhaps? Maybe it could be set up so that some people got the phone to use and then left it somewhere for someone else to find, call in and get a code that lets them try it and pass it on, etc. Sort of like those community book and bike projects. Again, this is just a small-bore idea aimed at a more democratic means of getting cool new phones into people's hands to check out. I'd say there would have to be other parallel things going on to connect in a more focused, less random ways with communities.
Thoughts?
Greg
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.