Bell Canada is trying to keep the face of its QuickChange Calling Card fresh, and make a little extra money on the side, by offering co-branding opportunities to marketers in Ontario.
Companies need pay only about $1 per card to appear on Quick-Change, says Jeff Hindle, product manager for the card.
The cards, which are sold in denominations of $5, $10 and $20, are sold at over 4,000 outlets across Ontario – mainly convenience and grocery stores.
Hindle says the advantage of the QuickChange ‘Partners’ program over other co-branded phone card programs is that QuickChange is a local calling card. That means Bell’s $10 ‘pocket billboard’ is looked at up to 40 times, compared to only a few times with a long-distance card.
Coca-Cola, Guess Jeans, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada and Owl magazine are a few of the companies who branded QuickChange cards during a testing phase over the past year in Quebec, says Hindle.
He says the co-branding idea was borrowed from other telecommmunications companies which are doing the same thing around the world.
Along with a logo on the face of the card, companies can pay extra for other options, says Hindle. For example, Bell can produce a 5×7-inch poster, promoting a company’s co-branded card, for mounting at eye level on Bell pay phones. Also, there is the opportunity to advertise the co-branded card on the digital scrolling screen that people read when using the phone.
Another option for marketers is buying some co-branded cards outright for promotional applications. For example, a company may want to distribute cards featuring their company’s logo at a press conference, says Hindle.
Bell will follow certain guidelines when considering advertisers for QuickChange, which targets the under-25 crowd, says Hindle. For example, a national brewer interested in the program is considering a moderation message on the card, he says.
As for sponsor conflicts, Hindle says the program will be similar to outdoor media where a company can arrange an exclusivity agreement for the duration of the contract.
