Page 24 - Sphere No.8 (Mar 2003)
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S
PHERE
122
are a lot of preconceptions about what type of customer will be
interested in 3G – and most of those preconceptions are not
based on any kind of research. Well, we’ve done the research.
We’ve spoken to pretty much every kind of potential customer
imaginable, and we have some detailed and robust strategies to
reach the key groups in question.”
The first TV ad appeared in mid January and depicted the age-
old problem of fans trying to describe a great
soccer sequence with the aid of ordinary
objects that come to hand, such as salt
and pepper pots or pieces on a chess
board. The segment ends with a video
clip of the actual goal shown on a 3
handset. The ad struck the right note
and was judged “Pick of the Week”
by the advertising industry ‘bible’
Campaign Magazine
.
Gimme 3
I
N THE UK, THE “FOUNDERS” LAUNCH OFFER
includes two cost-effective bundles named
Kit on 3
and
Kaboodle on 3
for customers looking to pay a
fixed monthly cost.
A third price plan, named
3ToGo
, is for customers
whose typical usage is lower and who are looking for
more flexible options on a pay-as-you-use basis.
With the
3ToGo
plan, there are no line rental or
monthly charges. Customers only pay for what they
use at rates ranging from 5p a minute for calls to other
3 subscribers to 25p to £1 for video downloads.
The
Kit on 3
option carries a fixed monthly cost of
£59.99 which includes a monthly allocation of 1,000
minutes of voice calls; 100 video call minutes; unlimited
e-mail, 250 text messages; 50 video downloads; 60
picture messages and 30 video messages.
Kaboodle on 3
costs £99.99 per month for 12
months and includes a monthly allocation of 2,000
minutes of voice calls; 200 video call minutes;
unlimited e-mail; 500 text messages; 100 video
downloads, 120 picture messages; and 60 video
messages.
Additional charges apply to international calls,
usage while abroad, directory enquiries and premium
rate calls.
In all cases, customers must first buy the handset
and there are a number of attractive introductory
discounts for early adopters.
Britain’s Secretary
of State for Trade
and Industry
Patricia Hewitt
delivers the first
“ministerial
broadcast” via a 3G
device. 400
celebrities attend
3
party on 03/03/03
in the UK.
Advertising
campaign
introduces the
3
brand in Austria.
Starts accepting
pre-registrations
on
and 5,000 sign up
on first day
.
Charity auction
of
3
handsets and
services raises
more than 1.5
million Krona
(US$175,000)
for a children’s
hospital in
Sweden.
3
demos videocall
to Swedish
spectators at a
3
sponsored ice-
hockey game.
New ad
campaign
begins in Italy.
The first handsets
are delivered to
paying customers
in Italy and the UK
in mid-March.
Banks extend loan
to
3 UK
to March
2005.
Marketing
campaign begins
in Australia.
