Will a phone network ever be that WOW?
Watching one of the commuters on the train yesterday reminded me of the video above which I saw a few months ago. I think Angry Birds (for all those of you that haven't joined the smartphone revolution) is a phenomenon. Probably one of the simplest, best executed games of our generation, Angry Birds has managed to migrate onto every available smartphone platform, made the almost impossible transition from a smartphone into a console game available on the PS3, and now exists in the real world as merchandise which really sells. Hell, even a film version of the game is in progress (click here). Even those cynics among you would have trouble denying that its shows the potential to be a WOW brand in the making....
Hence when T-Mobile makes an ad using the game as the centre piece, I wonder what the Telecomms brand is trying to achieve? My first viewing didn't leave me a lasting impression of T-Mobile- I searched for it on youtube using the search terms 'Angry Birds' and 'Barcelona'- but even after around 10 views it has yet to make me think 'thats the network to be with' or 'God Damn I must change my phone network, I'm missing out'...
A brand needs a compass to lead it to WOW...
Perhaps when it comes to all things mobile, the simple things thing like network coverage, cost and customer service are dimensions that no longer matter, and content is the key to ruling the smartphone world. If so, then I just don't think that they're treating the people they're targeting with enough 'smarts' (after all the bird's platform is no longer monogamous)...
There's a chance that the T-Mobile brand strives to achieve more amazing things, such as bringing people together to share in experiences which can only be enabled through complete smartphone unity, and that the WOW of 'bringing the birds to life' represents this. If so, I'd argue that the WOW is only borrowed while the birds stay angry, and this brand still needs a compass to lead it to a WOW of its own...
It's 'duh' - not 'wow' ...
ReplyDeleteDesign visionary Stephen Haggarty sent me the following link...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mobiledia.com/news/108059.html
I shared this ad with my 10 year old daughter on Saturday morning - as she just goes crazy for everything "angry birds". She thought it was quite cool. Anyway, on Sunday we walked through town and she spotted a T-Mobile shop which instantly connected with her. She wanted to go in and see if they have any "Angry Bird" promotions - which they didn't. But it got her in the shop !!!.
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