3 Mobile Australia and their “viral” launch of Skype Phones
Posted by alex
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I saw some PPC advertising today banging on about 3 Australia bringing out their new Skype Phone. They’re running a competition to encourage punters to put a video together and “Spruik” the Skype Phone via consumer generated video’s uploaded onto a third party site. Forever hopeful to find new mobile marketing techniques in play (video MMS CGM mobile marketing?!?!) I pressed on.
Now, before I get into the nuts and bolts of why I think this campaign is a complete waste of money… err… not a great campaign, let me explain how it works.
1. Visit either 3’s main site and click on the prominent graphic, or navigate direct to the Three Australia Skype Phone microsite.
2. Look for a skinny little link in the top right hand corner that says “competition”. Click on that.
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3. This brings you to a third party site which happens to be running a number of other competitions. So find the link to the Skype Phone one, make sure you are registered and logged in, and try not to end up back on the Skype Phone microsite. OK? *sigh*
4. Now it gets really nasty. You have to register to enter this viral CGM video campaign. And here is a list of the demographic and personal information they insist you part with to submit a valid entry:
- First name
- Last name
- Username
- Password
- Password confirm
- Date of birth (notably in a YYYY/MM/DD format)
- Country
- Captcha (security feature – and one I found quite hard to read, and no I don’t wear glasses)
- 2 Lines of Address
- Suburb
- State
- Postcode
Notice anything missing in this “CGM viral video” campaign run by a mobile company to flog a new mobile phone? They fail to ask for my mobile number. I won’t mention that all fields were text fields, so I could write anything I wanted in them and there was no email validation… oops.
5. Upload your video – or whatever. At this point the guys running the competition appear to have given up providing you with guidance. Do whatever you like.
And with the neato counter at the bottom of the screen telling me to the second I have 6 days to go, I reckon they might almost hit triple figures. C’mon! I’m an optimist.
Needless to say, I found the flow clunky and a little confusing (there are three different sites a 14 data point registration, login, THEN – if you can work out how – you upload your video). Not asking for my mobile number – and I just might be an existing 3 customer – seems to me a failing beyond comprehension.
It could have been so good! Why weren’t we asked to send in a video MMS? Why didn’t an SMS kick the whole thing off so reminders, follow ups, non-data plan holders and (importantly) existing vs. potential new customers could be quickly identified?
Pretty paisley/acid inspired graphics. Too many chefs in the kitchen and a complete lack of “mobile” in this ‘marketing of mobile’ (ie. NOT mobile marketing) campaign made it a bit of a fizzer for mine.
So what? What does this mean for you and your business?
Firstly, let’s apply the KISS principle. If you’re going to have a micro-site, have one. Not three. Keep it all on the one site. It will help your customers, and you, stay sane and not give up or get lost.
Secondly, integrating mobile into this campaign would have been the easiest thing in the world to do. Ask your customers for their mobile number. After all, they’re gunning for a free mobile phone from a mobile phone company. D’uh.
Thirdly, take it slow on the data collection. Don’t try to hit a home run on the first date. Try, “name and number” then in the next step “email address and postcode”. See? 4 important data points and my customer isn’t feeling molested.
Lastly, at all times remind the customer why they are there, what’s in it for them, and let them know how far they are into the process: “Step 1 of 4″, “You are 75% complete”, “Just two more steps and you’re in with a chance to win!”.
There are others, but let’s leave there for tonight. I’ll keep hoping and hunting for the next mobile marketing revolution. Until then, don’t forget the basics.