'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.
Was Scott Baio from Bed Stuy?
Someone give bedstuy4life a job as a creative!!! Kudos… Any quote of Biggie Smalls gets my vote 🙂
Very nice, bedstuy4life. I like your ad suggestion.
Um… okay. Actually bed stuy “newcomer” I was asking to re-write what they have above in a more authentic celebratory vernacular that would resonate with the target and not appear to pander…
As I said before, noone is callling Jesse and Al nor should we deface or to burn the bus stop ad in effigy. Yes. It could have been executed better, okay let’s move on. And again, I am the sister who writes people and attempts to be an agent of change. Just curious how you all would re-write this…
How about.
BED-STUY!
“Is Brooklyn in the house? Without a doubt ” From Biggie to Scott Baio, From Henry Miller to Mos Def.
Brooklyn is more than just a place on the map, it’s a state of mind.
A state of mind that demands control of your own destiny. At Virgin, we understand that. You only make changes if you want. That’s the beauty of our cellphone plans without contracts. Because Bed-Stuy, we know you call your own shots.
I know.. henry miller is from williamsburg… but it makes the point!
How about this:
BED STUY
OUR SERVICE IS BETTER THAN T-MOBILE. YOU CAN ACTUALLY MAKE CALLS AND PEOPLE WILL HEAR YOU AND YOUR CALLS WILL CONNECT.
AND BY THE WAY, VERIZON SUCKS TOO.
PAY AS YOU GO, SO IF THE SERVICE GETS WORSE YOU CAN SWITCH TO AT&T OR BOOST OR WHOEVER YOU WANT WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY THE $200 FEE.
Jeezus.
Don’t you people have anything better to do than argue the merits & weaknesses of an ad on a blog about real estate and architecture?
I mean yeah, it’s a crappy ad. Like I said before, Mother is a great agency and they generally do great advertising, and it bewilders me why Virgin would go with some dinky B-list agency in North Carolina when they’re trying to appeal to a local NYC market when they’ve got a relationship with a much better agency. Bad decision on their part.
Is it worth boycotting Virgin? No.
Is it worth defacing that ad? Sure, as long as it’s not too much trouble for you.
I’m tempted to do that myself, except it would require too much effort and frankly, I have better things to do… which obviously could be interpreted as me agreeing that they’re going for a market other than myself.
Or, if you’re really that offended by it, instead of just posting bulls**t on this blog, why not actually do something and email virgin and their agency and let them know you’re offended by their ad.
SO to sum up: Yes, it’s a bad ad. Bad concept bad execution. Bad bad bad.
Am I their core demographic? Nope. Oh well. Maybe I’ll respond to an ad appealing to NYC creatives or something or maybe I’ll just like their service better than T-Mobile. Anything is better than T-Mobile in Bed Stuy.
Is it worth doing anything about? Not to me, unless I just happen to be in the vicinity and am already defacing property so it’s no added trouble. Maybe to you it is though. What can you do that is PRODUCTIVE? Email, call, write letters and faxes to Virgin and their agency and tell them why you’re offended. That way they can better plan their next round of ads and they can appeal to your demographic.
Am I wasting MY time writing this? Yep probably. I’m a hypocrite and a procrastinator and I like to waste my time. So sue me. I’ve realized the error of my ways. OK bye.
Assuming they’re still trying to sell phones? How about: “Call your mother. Pay as you go.”
People could get whatever message they want from that:
a) we should all call our mothers more often
b) wink wink, if you don’t call your mother all that often, here’s the calling plan for you
c) but you should still call your mother more often
See? How hard is that?
Hey guys… okay everyone is up in a tizzy over this… Next! Now. How would you make it better? What would it say to celebrate Bed Stuy swapping out the language they have above. Curious…