'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.
Hi Jayne-
Thanks for jumping into the conversation! We appreciate that you’re keeping in touch with us.
Instead of offering copy, I’m going to one-up you and put forth a challenge to Virgin, a marketing strategy and an explanation of my rationale. This will be a bit long-winded, but here we go:
First off, we appreciate Virgin Mobile’s interest in the Bed Stuy community, however, isn’t writing copy the job of your ad agency?
I’m sure they were paid handsomely for the copy that has caused so much of a flap and has offended so many here, so would Virgin Mobile be willing to extend the same offer to the Bed Stuy community as well for their copywriting services?
After all, our words (copyrighted material, by the way) are going to be used to market Virgin Mobile’s services to the people who are writing them.
I’m challenging Virgin to step forward and set an example for other companies and use the money that would have gone towards paying an ad agency to come up with this copy to sponsor community-enriching efforts and events.
Bed Stuy isn’t as as wealthy a neighborhood in monetary terms as say, Brooklyn Heights or Park Slope, but we are rich (dare I say RICHER than them) with community pride and drive.
The fees paid to your agency are substantial I’m sure, even for a large corporation like Virgin, but please keep in mind that you’re talking about a community where every dollar counts.
The community is in desperate need of improved schools, public cleanliness (Bed Stuy is officially the city’s dirtiest neighborhood according to the Dept. of Sanitation), crime prevention and greener streets, to name a few things.
And I’ll let you in on a little tip about the character of Bed Stuy-ers: we are very community minded and very loyal.
If Virgin is willing to place a monetary value on their commitment to Bed Stuy, we will surely reciporocate by giving back by being loyal customers for Virgin. The more we see investment in the community from big business, the more it benefits everybody.
And here’s the best part – it’s the concept that pulls the whole marketing strategy together:
Phone plans with contracts (and heavy early termination fees) ASSUME that the subscriber wants out of the contract. Virgin’s don’t do that. Your phone plans rely on happy customers who WANT to remain with Virgin. In short, it relies on LOYALTY of your customers rather than strong-arming them into staying with their plan. This plan would build loyalty to Virgin through a real commitment to the community. We would see your presence here and Virgin would feel our appreciation through a stabile, loyal customer base.
Hey Brownstoners – Virgin Mobile here. We’ve seen the dialogue that’s going back and forth. Since we started Virgin Mobile, we’ve always been dedicated to what consumers want. So here’s an invitation to have a say in the You Rule campaign. We’d love to see your own version of a Bed-Stuy, You Rule ad. Just follow the format of the ad already in place and let’s see what you’ve got. We’d like to print up the best of the bunch in your neighborhood. We’ll check back in on Monday morning. Thanks again for all of your thoughts and ideas.
Jayne Wallace
Virgin Mobile USA
OK OK OK… we all have the right to move wherever…
I recently met a member of the first AFRICAN AMERICAN family to move onto the block (in 1939) so we’re all newcomers at one point or another.
You’re way off base, Anonymous 11:05am. Resident, was responding to a specific statement made by someone else (Space pirate) earlier in the thread. Perhaps you should take your own advice.
Resident.
You’re way off base. This has nothing to do with the right to move as we please. Maybe you should re-read all the thread.
Space Pirate- anon 1:33 is exactly right- and it has nothing to do with WalMart and everything to do with freedom.
It’s a shame you don’t remember the sacrifices made by thousands of Blacks, Whites, and others to have that right. Or would you rather we go back to the old days with separate drinking fountains and bathrooms? And how about your right to live where you want? Giving that up?
Actually as Americans we ARE entitled to move anywhere we want in America. We don’t need permission from others.
Posted by: Anonymous at May 31, 2007 1:33 PM
This is the same attitude that allows Walmart developers to destroy communities and local economies.
But it’s okay beacuse “we’re” Americans.
WHOEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CAMPAIGN DESERVES WHATEVER KARMA HAS IN STORE FOR THEM.
I like bedstuy4life’s text too! Being inclusive is so much more cool.
Cliquey nastiness is tiresome and dumb.