The aim of the promo was to drive mobile internet adoption in rural areas: Anuradha Aggarwal
What has been the most interesting sales promotion you have engineered so far?
Vodafone launched its biggest on-ground activation campaign till date in the form of the Mobile Internet Bus Campaign in May, 2013. We set out five buses on a journey to visit close to 150 cities (Tier-II and Tier-III) in a span of four months from the first week of May. These buses were equipped with five smart phones each (from different brands like Canvas, Nokia, Samsung etc) and the promoters were trained to handhold the consumer to experience the internet on mobile.
Vodafone also executed customised activations in select markets - for instance, the one during the Pandharpur Yatra in Maharashtra and Goa Circle in July. Vodafone deployed two Vodafone mobile trucks that travelled with the warkaris (those undertaking the pilgrimage to Pandharpur) all through their journey to Pandharpur. The vans were equipped with calling, charging and recharge voucher facilities.
Who was your primary target - new or existing customers or both?
The aim of the promo was to drive adoption of mobile internet and instill the desire to purchase the internet trial pack of Rs 25. It provided an ideal platform to engage with new and potential customers in the semi-urban and rural markets.
Can you explain the broad design of the campaign?
It was an on-ground activation campaign, designed to reach out to the rural audience as the devotees participating in this yatra are predominantly from the rural areas of Maharashtra. Such initiatives provide an experiential platform for the consumers to get closer to the services that are on offer and the network of Vodafone, leaving a better recall for the brand.
Then there was a special value added service (VAS) offering launched specially on the occasion. As a part of this VAS offering, customers could listen to bhajans and view a virtual arati of the lord at the Pandharpur temple. This was in addition to the the calling and recharge facilities (available in denominations of Rs 10-Rs 30).
Why was it designed in such a manner?
The campaign was targeted at non-users of mobile internet. The initiative was to educate customers of the power of mobile internet and how it can benefit them.
What were the challenges?
For an activity of such a huge scale, managing operations and coordination becomes the biggest challenge. We had to organise fully functional buses, finalise routes and the location, offer training and freebies to our down-the-line personnel, coordinate with each circle, collate feedback - the scale of the activity was humongous; hence the coordination after finalising the main concept theme etc became the biggest challenge.
Who partnered you in it?
Vodafone carried out this activity solely. Candid marketing executed the operations.
What was its direct and measurable impact on the brand and its sales?
We were able to justify the costs as a mix of short-term as well as long-term benefits to the brand. Approximately 9 lakh people were exposed to the activity.
Was there any middle ground struck between tactics and strategy with this sales promotion?
We saw the opportunity to convert the non-users of internet by giving them a first-hand experience of internet (as strategy) and using the bus and to reach out to them at locations of their comfort (as the tactic). With the Mobile Internet Bus campaign, we were able to accelerate mobile internet adoption through penetration, consumption and value addition. It helped us engage with lakhs of devotees from Maharashtra and the neighbouring states.
Will it be relevant today?
Customers have different expectations from access to the internet. In the large towns, customers are using the internet for a range of purposes, from entertainment to business-related activities to the use of a large number of applications that are helping them become more productive and efficient. In semi-urban and rural India, usage patterns are different. People are still at a discovery stage seeking entertainment, social media and email. Though the activation is over, the positive response from the customers gives us hope of planning similar interventions in the future.
Don't sales promotions incur high long-term costs for a company?
Sales promotions are usually short-term and even though their cost cannot be solely justified by the short-term impact on sales what should not be forgotten are the long-term brand measures - such as top of mind recall, depth of awareness and so on. Also if you monetise the cost against lifetime customer value then the cost will justify itself.
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