Start Creative
Virgin Mobile Bites
Start creates: Virgin Mobile Bites
'Bites' offers users a variety of relevant and irreverent services delivered direct to the handset, with unique content provided by Que Pasa Communications. The service enhances Virgin Mobile's presence on the phone itself, putting the brand in the hand of their customers. Start branded the two-way entertainment stream, which enables users to access information and contribute, creating a dialogue between Virgin Mobile and its customers.
We designed interfaces for WAP, SMS and user originated MMS content as well as web support. Fully functional, WAP has been utilised not as access to the world wide web, but as a method of giving Virgin Mobile users access to content and downloads that capture the spirit of youth culture, reflecting Virgin's core audience.
Based on Virgin Mobile''s insight that people play with their mobiles to fill time when bored, we devised the creative theme of fighting boredom : 'BOREDOM SUCKS'. The name 'Bites' was developed as a snappy counter to 'bored', and as a reference to the edgy attitude and small chunk sized nature of the contents - 'Bite sized boredom busters'. Urban photography of young people with their phones waiting in laundrettes, on buses and at stations reflects this tone.
Nike Siffre, Brand Planning Manger at Virgin Mobile said, 'Start's strengths across disciplines, combined with their understanding of the youthful Virgin audience has enabled us to create a service that uses all the technologies at our disposal and delivers them with personality and attitude. In line with Virgin's philosophy, Virgin Mobile 'Bites' challenges convention and will be an integral part of our future revenue generation.
On the technical side, we devised the content structure and navigation, carrying through all aspects of the brand positioning. Their brief was to design for a WAP channel that provides content regardless of which generation of handset is in use and allows users to contribute directly to the WAP site via their handset. The website was then positioned as a key information point with 28 different services on offer and also encouraging contributions from users - a 'Worse for Wear' page appeals for funny mobile phone photos for its Hall of Fame. Engaging flash animations are used on the website to give instructions to customers.
In conjunction with their online work, we created a range of in-store merchandising for Virgin Mobile Retail. This includes the development of Virgin's in-store EPOS kiosks making them more interactive and building customer awareness and buy-in to Bites. We also designed a monthly fanzine with an initial distribution of over 1,000,000. It reflects the website and continues the two-way entertainment environment including user submitted content. The content for the fanzine is provided by Que Pasa Communications.
Darren Whittingham, Executive Creative Director at Start Creative said, 'We wanted to deliver truly integrated communications from handset to high street. As such the implementation of the idea crosses from technical build right through to in-store merchandising.'
We have been working with Virgin Mobile for 5 years, originating the brand and helping them become and remain the largest mobile virtual network operator in the UK.
Virgin Mobile Bites
Start creates: Virgin Mobile Bites
'Bites' offers users a variety of relevant and irreverent services delivered direct to the handset, with unique content provided by Que Pasa Communications. The service enhances Virgin Mobile's presence on the phone itself, putting the brand in the hand of their customers. Start branded the two-way entertainment stream, which enables users to access information and contribute, creating a dialogue between Virgin Mobile and its customers.
We designed interfaces for WAP, SMS and user originated MMS content as well as web support. Fully functional, WAP has been utilised not as access to the world wide web, but as a method of giving Virgin Mobile users access to content and downloads that capture the spirit of youth culture, reflecting Virgin's core audience.
Based on Virgin Mobile''s insight that people play with their mobiles to fill time when bored, we devised the creative theme of fighting boredom : 'BOREDOM SUCKS'. The name 'Bites' was developed as a snappy counter to 'bored', and as a reference to the edgy attitude and small chunk sized nature of the contents - 'Bite sized boredom busters'. Urban photography of young people with their phones waiting in laundrettes, on buses and at stations reflects this tone.
Nike Siffre, Brand Planning Manger at Virgin Mobile said, 'Start's strengths across disciplines, combined with their understanding of the youthful Virgin audience has enabled us to create a service that uses all the technologies at our disposal and delivers them with personality and attitude. In line with Virgin's philosophy, Virgin Mobile 'Bites' challenges convention and will be an integral part of our future revenue generation.
On the technical side, we devised the content structure and navigation, carrying through all aspects of the brand positioning. Their brief was to design for a WAP channel that provides content regardless of which generation of handset is in use and allows users to contribute directly to the WAP site via their handset. The website was then positioned as a key information point with 28 different services on offer and also encouraging contributions from users - a 'Worse for Wear' page appeals for funny mobile phone photos for its Hall of Fame. Engaging flash animations are used on the website to give instructions to customers.
In conjunction with their online work, we created a range of in-store merchandising for Virgin Mobile Retail. This includes the development of Virgin's in-store EPOS kiosks making them more interactive and building customer awareness and buy-in to Bites. We also designed a monthly fanzine with an initial distribution of over 1,000,000. It reflects the website and continues the two-way entertainment environment including user submitted content. The content for the fanzine is provided by Que Pasa Communications.
Darren Whittingham, Executive Creative Director at Start Creative said, 'We wanted to deliver truly integrated communications from handset to high street. As such the implementation of the idea crosses from technical build right through to in-store merchandising.'
We have been working with Virgin Mobile for 5 years, originating the brand and helping them become and remain the largest mobile virtual network operator in the UK.