Successful campaign? Affirmative. Bell Mobility’s recent push-talk service effort exceeded expectations within a couple weeks of launching in major markets across the country.
The creative centres on the product’s positioning as ‘a new way to talk,’ and juxtaposes typical cellphone conversations with
pared-down walkie-talkie one-liners.
The media strategy for the B2B campaign, by Cossette, was to reach the target of construction, transport and hospitality workers in places the service would benefit them most. Thus, a strong outdoor presence included lunch trucks, parking garages and even cranes.
A B2C effort by Grip, meanwhile, focused on families with teens.
Three print ads and radio spots (the one we examined stars an office worker whose computer just crashed), and location domination at Toronto’s BCE Place and Montreal’s Pierre Elliot Trudeau airport, geared at biz execs, rounded out the effort.
We asked Brian Howlett, creative partner at Toronto’s Axmith McIntyre Wicht and Shawn King, CD at Dartmouth, N.S.-based Extreme Group to 10-4 us their thoughts. Over.
CREATIVE
BH: The use of type makes a lot of different executions possible, and the split layout with product-as-hero reinforces the phone’s duality. But it doesn’t do enough to separate it from the slew of Bell ads people already have to contend with. Maybe it’s time to – if not throw the design guidelines away – at least tuck them in the drawer for a while.
SK: I remember talking on a walkie-talkie as a kid. It was fun. ’10-4 good buddy, what’s yer 20?’ Good stuff. I like how this campaign reminds us how you can get to the point quicker by using that language.
BH: These newspaper ads do the heavy lifting:
lots of information and fairly straight headlines, with the exception of ‘yada yada/yada,’ my favourite line overall.
SK: I like the print, but I don’t love it. The point is made here even if you don’t read all the copy, which begs the question; why have it? I prefer the simplicity of the outdoor where I get the whole message without all the unnecessary extras.
LOCATION DOMINATION
BH: I like that lines like ‘Where are you?’ reference the experience of being in this specific venue [BCE Place], but I wonder how the consumer feels about the current domination media trend.
RADIO
BH: The perfect medium to bring this product to life. This spot does a nice job of sticking with the concept and dialing up the entertainment factor. By far the best creative execution in the campaign.
OUTDOOR
BH: Who knew you could buy ads on a lunch truck and a crane? Further evidence that media is the new creative.
SK: Simple and straight to the point. With the crane, I think the media placement is terrific. Unexpected and a great way to get to business customers. It’s not one of the stronger executions though. Maybe a missed opportunity?
THE CREDS
Client – Bell Mobility: Linda Hechtl, associate director, marketing communications
Agencies – Cossette B2B: Dawn Whiteman, group account director; Gillian Muise, account supervisor
Cossette Media: Katie Wolf, group media manager; Amy Dawson, media planner; Michael Marcy, media planner
Blitz Marketing: Roehl Sanchez, VP/CD; Diane Gagne, copywriter; Cecilia Barry, copywriter; Noel Naguiat, AD
Grip Limited
Prodco – Pirate Radio & Television: Terry O’Reilly, director; Heather Moshoian, producer
