Discount mobile provider Mobilicity launched an out-of-this-world brand strategy today with the hopes of standing out in a “cluttered” mobile market whose brand proposition seems to lack differentiation.
“Our message in the marketplace was very pragmatic and spoke to the ease or delivery and price,” said Mobilicity chief customer officer Anthony Booth. “We wanted to keep that message, but also provide fun and excitement in a great industry.”
So they didn’t bother with spokespeople at all, and opted for, um, a duo of Spokesaliens.
The two mascots, decked out in the year-old company’s magenta and green colours, resemble Pixar extras—a confident, no-nonsense alpha female commander and her easy-going and wise-cracking male sidekick—and were developed by Toronto-based advertising agency Sharpe Blackmore Euro RSCG. Mobilicity had been working with Dentsu since late in 2009.
“[Blackmore Euro RSCG] were instrumental in the rebrand,” said Booth, noting his satisfaction with the results despite “consolidated timelines.” Booth only joined Mobilicity in April this year.
Mobilicity’s new accompanying tag line, “Now that’s smart” dovetails with the company’s wireless service without contracts and extra or hidden fees, as well as the higher intelligence of the two characters, Booth said.
And despite featuring animated tubby aliens, Booth says the rebrand doesn’t skew young… or towards any demo in particular.
To generate some social buzz for the launch, a Facebook contest asks Canadians to name the aliens. Visitors will have a chance to win a $1,100 mobile prize package.
The mascots and rebrand will appear in digital deployments this summers, as well as be highly visible in all Mobility retail locations, added Booth.
