Koodo gets back to basics

Telus is working up an advertising sweat with the full launch of the marketing campaign for its new Koodo Mobile discount brand yesterday.

Koodo is being positioned as the “fat free alternative” to other services because customers don’t pay for excess features they don’t need or want, said Kevin Banderk, chief Koodo officer.

Unlike its competition—Solo Mobile, Fido and Virgin—Koodo doesn’t even offer video calling, e-mail and music and instead “focuses on talk and text in the most flexible way we [Koodo] could,” he said.

Koodo is aimed at consumers interested in simple talk and text features or home phone replacement, and not just youth, said Banderk. “There’s a large segment of the population that was really looking for a straight-forward approach without breaking the bank,” he said.

Telus started promoting its new brand with a teaser campaign—including five-second TV spots—last week. The full campaign launched yesterday with outdoor, print, radio, online, 15-second TV spots, and a one-minute “infomercial” and the website KoodoMobile.com. The launch campaign is expected to run for eight weeks in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.

The Koodo advertising effort uses an ’80s-era exercise theme with leotard clad “Koodosizers”—a la exercise show 20 Minute Workout.

Big-banged aerobics instructors stretch and text their way through the TV spots, encouraging consumers to “shake off that system access fee,” and “karate chop that activation fee” to trim cellphone bill fat.

The trainer theme, developed by Taxi 2, is a fun and refreshing way to ensure that the “fat free” message resonates with consumers, said Banderk.

The Koodo website has been designed to inform consumers of the brand’s products and plans, and uses nutrition labels to do so. The label is a key branding component and will be used across all of the creative executions and product packaging, said Banderk.

“It’s very clear on what you’re getting and what you’re not getting on a nutrition label and that’s the approach we wanted to take,” he said.

Cover wraps will run around commuter dailies like Metro this week and most of the creative will use the brand’s signature colour: fuchsia. Retail partners will be running flyer ads by the end of the week.

Koodo Mobile is being sold at major retail outlets including Best Buy, Future Shop, Wal-Mart, Zellers, London Drugs and through TheBrick.com as well as at Koodo Shops in some shopping malls.

Strategic Objectives in handled the PR efforts, while Media Experts in Toronto executed the media buy.

–Kristin Laird


This article appeared on The Marketing Daily PM Tuesday April 1, 2008.

Virgin spins Spitzer woe into advertising gold

Virgin Mobile moved quickly this week to produce an Eliot Spitzer print ad as part of its “You call the shots” campaign.

To promote its dedication to a more personalized approach to customer care, Virgin will run a full-page ad this week in Metro and 24 commuter dailies in Toronto featuring the now-former Governor Spitzer with a thought bubble above his head that reads: “I’m tired of being treated like a number.”

The ad copy reads: “At Virgin Mobile, you’re more than just a number. When you call us we’ll treat you like a person, not a client. Whether you’re #9 or #900, you’ll get hooked up with somebody who’ll finally treat you just how you want to be treated.”

On Monday, news broke that Spitzer had at least seven or eight liaisons over the last several years with prostitutes supplied by an international call girl ring. Spitzer was identified as “Client 9.”

Virgin began the new campaign last week with a full-page ad featuring Hillary Clinton and a thought bubble above her head that read “I wish my bill wasn’t so out of control.”

“We’re looking for this series of ads to be topical events that people are interested in,” said Nathan Rosenberg, chief marketing officer, Virgin Mobile. “[Spitzer] was on the front page of pretty much every Canadian newspaper [yesterday].”

Virgin is discussing plans to take the ad national with its media buying partner, Wills and Co. A Barack Obama ad, rolling out next week, will be the last in the political series, with Virgin moving on to other newsworthy people after that, said Rosenberg.

“We have the licence as a brand to do things that are more edgy, interesting and engaging than probably some of the other brands do,” said Rosenberg. “That’s why we feel like we really want to keep doing this.”

–Kristin Laird

This article appeared on The Marketing Daily PM Wednesday March 12, 2008.

Marketing 101

By Kristin Laird

Remember your dreary old textbooks in university? What if they actually looked more like Vogue and came with MP3 downloads? That's the idea behind MKTG, a marketing textbook disguised as a magazine, produced by Thomson Higher Education. The Stamford, Conn. company enlisted students to create the new format. The result: educational eye candy. The slimmer, glossier format-it's 350 pages versus 700 for the original textbook, but retains 90% of the content-also comes with online and cellphone quizzes. "The idea was to re-evaluate where we were as a content provider, not just as a textbook publisher," says publisher Neil Marquardt.

While traditional texts are printed on a two- or three-year cycle, MKTG will be printed annually with up-to-date marketing examples. It has a retail price of US$49.95. The textbook/magazine can now be found in the backpacks of Penn State and University of California students. And with those MP3 downloads, we may see students walking to the beat of Chapter 14: "Integrated Marketing Communications."

This article appeared in Marketing Magazine the week of May 14, 2007.

OSL's Secret Sauce

By: Kristin Laird

Pushing hot buttons helps OSL win Bayer HealthCare business


When the consumer care division of Bayer HealthCare wanted a promotional agency, OSL Marketing knew which buttons to push. The Mississauga Ont.-based firm was on a short list with six other agencies, when they presented Bayer with its "hot button database"-information about different retailers it only shares with clients to assist with promotional activities.

During the pitch, OSL's team recommended specific programs for specific retailers and gave reasons why. OSL partner Marty Goldberg believes sharing retail brand activation work experiences from other clients, like Kimberly Clark and Pepsi-QTG gave Bayer an appreciation of OSL and its competency. The agency demonstrated its understanding of how retailers tie into promotional activities. It's the "secret sauce" that helped them win the pitch, he says.

Sean O'Dowd, Bayer HealthCare's VP of marketing, says the agency also demonstrated an understanding of Bayer's targets. "We were impressed by their strategic thinking, the work they have done with other partners, and the expertise they have in consumer activation," he says.

The review-which Goldberg calls "structured and focused"-was a two-part procedure. First came the standard sit-down with Bayer. OSL representatives answered questions about the agency's structure, process, and approach. Round two involved problem solving. The agency had to present to Bayer's senior management group a solution to a strategic issue for a specific brand. The idea presented during the pitch is similar to what consumers can expect to see in retail outlets for back to school season, says Goldberg.

Before the review, Bayer used a number of agencies on a project basis-one of which was OSL-but it was clear a multi-agency system was inefficient, says O'Dowd. Bayer wanted one shop "who understood our business, instead of re-educating a different agency every time."

The deal with OSL covers a suite of services-promotional marketing, web activity, and key account marketing-for a number of brands including Flintstones Vitamins, Midol, Aspirin, and One-A-Day Vitamins.

The review wrapped up late last year, however the formal partnership began in January. Agency and client are talking daily, with new work to come soon, and Goldberg is pleased with the relationship the two have forged. "It's a relationship that's built on openness-and there's been a good amount of integration so far."

This article appeared in Marketing Magazine the week of May 14, 2007.

Your Health: OTHS all set to host its own Relay for Life May 25

By: Kristin Laird

Preparations are underway as staff and st dents of Oakville Trafalgar igh School (OTHS) prepare to host the Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life, May 25.

For four months, organizers and participants have been busy with logistics to registration, finances and entertainment-- myriad planning issues.

"We need to make sure all the pieces are in play -- following up on rentals, organizing the teams, making sure the money gets in, food, and event coordination. Each sub committee is responsible for those aspects," said staff advisor and creative arts and science teacher, Gregg Shanks.

Approximately 500 students will participate. The festivities will commence at 7 p.m. Teams of 10 will line the track for the Survivor Victory Lap. Those who have conquered the disease will walk the track as their names are read aloud. The relay will continue through the night, where one member of each team must remain mobile at all times. A ceremony will mark the conclusion of the relay at 7 a.m.

"Relay For Life is an incredible event. It honours cancer survivors and remembers those we have lost to cancer. It's a party with a purpose," said Relay For Life High School Coordinator, Shellbie Wilson.

For Grade 11 student Ross Mylet, it's more than a good time with friends.

"It actually means a lot to me...my grandparents died of cancer. I shaved my head for cancer last year, and this year I'm doing the relay. I'm trying to do as many fundraisers as I possibly can," he said.

Relay For Life staff support event organizers. They answer questions teachers or students may have. Although the school plans the event -- start to finish -- it's very much a collaborative effort.

"We meet with the committee throughout their planning and provide them with a Relay For Life how-to CD. We ask they incorporate their own ideas. As much as we have key parts to the event, it's really about adding special touches that will hit home with their students," said Wilson.

Shanks and school sub-committees have managed to plan a unique event for the OTHS crowd. They have planned activities to boost enthusiasm to keep people interested and moving throughout the night.

"There will be about five bands performing. We'll also be having a dodge ball tournament, a massive game of Twister, all night movies, we also have a hypnotist coming," said Shanks. "We'll have a lap where everyone has to walk backwards, and a lap where everyone has to leap frog."

Those taking part should pack the essentials.

"Food and some clothes and maybe a blanket - a pillow for sure. My buddy's bringing a tent. It's massive. It fits like 15 people. I'm bringing music too," said Mylet.

One important element Mylet plans to incorporate into his relay preparation is food. Although most events supply a certain amount of snacks, as Mylet pointed out it's better to be prepared.

"We're going to load up on chips and candy," said Mylet.

Last year OTHS raised $63,000, contributing to the $1.4 million the event pulled in province wide. This year the school has set a goal of $75,000. All of the money raised goes to the Canadian Cancer Society.

"The Canadian Cancer Society funds research on all types of cancer and provides accurate and important information to people facing cancer, and their family and friends," said Wilson.

For information on how to get involved in a Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life Event, log onto www.cancer.ca.

This article appeared in The Oakville Beaver on May 12, 2007.
http://oakvillebeaver.com/news/article/91842

Pesticide Ban in Oakville

The use of cosmetic pesticides will no longer bug Oakville residents thanks to a recent decision made by the town’s Council. The statute is designed to protect the public health and interests of the community. After six years of debate Oakville council recently voted in favour of a bylaw banning the use of pesticides. It was passed last month, by a 10-3 margin.

Although many see Pesticide regulations in Canada as inadequate and the risks associated with their use minimized Oakville’s bylaw is one of the more rigorous rulings.

Sheridan Elder Research Centre

The Sheridan Elder Research Centre hosts an Internet Café that provides a supportive learning environment in which older individuals may continue their previous computer learning. Due to the participant overload the centre is actively looking for volunteer tech tutors.