'Phone or Die' in Bed Stuy
If the Bed Stuy edition of the new locally-targeted ad campaign from Virgin Mobile is any indication, Branson et al should probably get back to the drawing board before the national roll-out. Here’s the text: When people close their eyes and think of Brooklyn, your legendary brownstones come to mind. That’s because everyone from rappers…
If the Bed Stuy edition of the new locally-targeted ad campaign from Virgin Mobile is any indication, Branson et al should probably get back to the drawing board before the national roll-out. Here’s the text:
When people close their eyes and think of Brooklyn, your legendary brownstones come to mind. That’s because everyone from rappers to directors have used you as the backdrop for stories about life in the neighborhood that has everything. Do or Die is more than a moniker. It speaks to the fact that you don’t take crap from anyone. Especially newcomers who want to change Bed-Stuy into some sort of yuppie strip mall. With us you only make changes if you want. That’s the beauty of our cell phone plans without annual contracts. Because Bed-Stuy, we know you call your own shots.
It’s a good thing Virgin Mobile has been so entrenched in the community for so long and isn’t trying to exploit it for commercial purposes! Check out another of the ads that up along the BQE on the jump.
Oh come on! How about the industry educates itself about US, 5:18?? The people they’re supposed to be selling to? It’s not our job to learn about the advertising industry and its execs. It’s the other way around. Jeezus. No wonder your firm did such a terrible job on this ad campaign.
anon 2:28 & 2:28 – Classon off of Gates – close enough. I can see the ad at the bus stop from my stoop.
My point is that Isis is not the demo. I am not clueless. How many years do you have in the industry? Exactly how many millions of dollars of ad space and time have you purchased for the tech industry? The demo they are going after is not “african-american’s in Bed-Stuy”. It is much more specific in nature. They could be going after males/females 18-24 who just left home or finished college and have yet to establish credit in their name.
That is who their research tells them is most likely to purchase a pay-as-you go phone and the neighborhoods in which they live (remember Bed-Stuy is not the only area that these ads are being placed) Not Isis. If the wanted to, tey wouldn’t have been purchasing space on billboards and bus stops.
So just get over it already. If it offends you look the other way. You need to get over that “everybody is out to get me” attitude. Were you offended by Domino’s Brooklyn Style Pizza campaign? Hell they offended everybody with that one. Who do you think the intended audience was for that one?
Here’s an idea guys – before runningoff at the mouth go educate yourselves a bit on the industry.
11:41 dam imus relax with the n&**^% you are using it way too much to prove a point that I don’t have no clue in which you are trying to make
I think the other Virgin advertising was all done by Mother, (that’s the name of the ad agency based in London with offices in New York, that does very good, on-point advertising) however this one it seems was done by McKinney Silver.
If you want to get in touch with the head honcho there, his name is David Brinegar (Chairman and CEO) and if his email follows the format of the ones listed on the site it would be dbrinegar@mckinney-silver.com so go ahead and get in touch and tell him what you think.
Another good person to get in touch with would be David Baldwin, (Executive Creative Director) whose email is probably: dbaldwin@mckinney-silver.com
or try phoning them on 919.313.0802.
1:17
Wake up. Clearly you’re not from Bed-Stuy
Anon @ 1:17
You’re clueless. What makes you think Isis is not the target? because she owns a brownstone and is middle class? The fact that she lives in Bed-Stuy is what makes her the target. Her point is Virgin’s attempt to identify with an assummed culture and demographic has inadvertently offended a larger demographic.
Its never wise for a brand to alienate a potential market while trying to gain favor in another.
In your effort to be snarky, you just come off as being a wanna-be know it all and you’re actually just clueless.
I’m not the target audience for Chucky-Cheese. But they don’t offend me either. I’m sure they are careful not to, because one day I may have kids.
Actually several little stores sell virginmobile cards on Nostrand Ave. and Fulton St. I was surprised to see that–previously I’d only seen them in chain drugstores and electronics stores.
Here’s the website:
http://virginmobileusa.com
Their voicemail voices and many of the head shots on their web site are African-American and have been for some time. Plus I agree with the person who said it’s a good deal–I have a Virgin Mobile phone and my daughter (11) does too. Much cheaper than a family plan. I am much older than the people they market to but it works for me.
I think it should be pointed out that, as so often happens on blog comments with one careless reading and multiple acceptances of the resultant faulty interpretation, the ad is not promoting disposable/untraceable phones but rather phone plans without a contract. My service for my regular cellphone (which I will probably not get rid of ’til it breaks) is with Virgin, requires me to use twenty dollar’s worth of calls every 90 days, and I could cancel the service any time without penalty. I actually find the assumption that there’s a substantial market for untraceable phones used for illicit purposes in any neighborhood just as objectionable as the divisive and hopelessly out-of-touch timbre of the subject ad.
omg this is crazy for you