Sprint Prepaid Brands
Company: Sprint Prepaid Brands, Warren, NJ
Company Description: Sprint’s prepaid portfolio includes the following brands: Assurance Wireless, Boost Mobile, Common Cents Mobile and Virgin Mobile. Each brand is customized to appeal to a specific customer segment within the expanding prepaid market, all without contracts and all on the Nationwide Sprint Network.
Nomination Category: Marketing Awards Campaign Categories - Specialty
Nomination Sub Category: Consumer Advertising Campaign of the Year
Nomination Title: Boost Mobile Shuffle
Tell the story of this nominated advertising campaign for the judges (up to 500 words). Describe the genesis, planning, execution, and results to date of your campaign. If applicable, remember to describe what's unique or innovative about your campaign:
On Sunday, February 7, Boost Mobile, with the creative help of 180LA, launched its first-ever Super Bowl commercial titled “The Boost Mobile Shuffle.” The creative concept for the “Boost Mobile Shuffle” was a parody on the original “Super Bowl Shuffle” from 1985 featuring some of that years’ Chicago Bears. Boost’s unique spin on the ad brought back many of the original players including Jim McMahon, Mike Singletary, Richard Dent, Willie Gault, Otis Wilson, Steve Fuller and even a special appearance from the ‘coach’ himself, Mike Ditka.
In just a few short months, Boost Mobile and 180LA executed a fully integrated
campaign that included TV, print, digital and social media efforts. 180LA
choreographed a highly efficient shoot that captured all necessary assets in
just three days for: 4 teasers, 1:30 second TV spot, 1 three minute
extended version, 1 behind-the-scenes video, 1 b-side song/video, extensive
digital and micro-site, social media tactics and all print executions. Boost
Mobile advertising led the strategy development to ensure consistency across
multiple consumer touch points. The creative team maintained the integrity of
the campaign’s visual identity and quickly produced compelling pieces including
a USA Today ad, autograph poster and in-store retail elements.
To support the commercial, the PR team launched a three-tiered PR plan to
garner coverage before, during and after the big game. To garner pre-buzz
about the ad, Boost Mobile invited national as well as Chicago-based and San
Francisco media to attend the commercial shoots to obtain exclusive footage and
interviews with the ‘Shufflers.’ Each news outlets was put under embargo until
January 19. Outlets that attended the shoot and later covered the story
included: ESPNChicago.com, Comcast Sport Network, WGN, WMAQ-NBC and WFLD-FOX
with more than 70 percent of outlets mentioning “Boost Mobile” in their
segments.
The team also conducted on-site media relations activity in Miami with Willie
Gault, Mike Singletary and Jim McMahon that resulted in national placement in
such outlets as: FOX & Friends, ESPN’s Mike & Mike in the Morning, ESPN’s the
Jim Rome Show and Sporting News Radio’s “Two Live Stews” just to name a few.
To get employees excited about the commercial, internal communications created
a social media contest for employees to send in their live Facebook posts,
tweets, etc. about the commercial before the game. Nearly 25 percent of Boost
Mobile employees participated.
In total, the Boost Mobile Shuffle garnered more than 300 million impressions
across broadcast, print and online outlets and attention for being the first
prepaid carrier to appear in a Super Bowl ad. Coverage from The Associated
Press story was picked up by more than 1900 outlets. On game day the spot
averaged 25 tweets every two minutes after the commercial aired for approx 60
minutes. Post game day, the commercial had been viewed over 700,000 times on
YouTube with a rating of 4 ½ stars from over 500 ratings, and over 300
comments. By, Feb. 12, the commercial has resulted in 1,120 tweets and over 600
posts on Facebook and other social media outlets.
List hyperlinks to online work samples, videos, images, presentations, news stories, press releases, or other documents that illustrate and support your campaign. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
http://www.easyir.com/easyir/prssrel.do?easyirid=0B08836AE3C8B24E&version=live&prid=629758
http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/columns/story?columnist=greenberg_jon&id=4827883
http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2010-02-04-super-bowl-hype_N.htm
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/sneak-peek-super-bowl-ads-9744908
http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2010-02-04-super-bowl-hype_N.htm
http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/client/e3i7d41666c039b61afda72218289c89af2
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/news/1001/gallery.Super_Bowl_Ads/5.html
Provide a brief biography of the leader of the team that planned and executed this advertising campaign (up to 100 words):
Bob Stohrer joined Virgin Mobile USA in January 2003 as vice president of brand
and communications. At Virgin Mobile USA, Stohrer has been behind Virgin
Mobile's most defining marketing campaigns – including Chrismahanukwanzakah,
the Nothing to Hide naked campaign and No Seas Normal, the most-awarded
Hispanic campaign of 2005.
In his current role, Stohrer leads an integrated marketing team responsible for
brand stewardship, demand creation and product marketing for all of Sprint’s
prepaid brands including Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, Common Cents and
Assurance Wireless. He is responsible for advertising and media campaigns, web
and digital initiatives, events and partnership development.