CSL plays 'pacesetter' but lags rivals' efforts

HONG KONG: Mobile telecom brand CSL 1010 is sharpening its image, fuelling the steady pick-up in marketing investment by a category that is at a fraction of its 1999 highs.

The operator is looking to reshape its image with consumers following on efforts launched by rival SmarTone and Sunday in the last few months.

Its general manager for marketing, communications and PR, Michelle Au, said the company was looking to re-establish consumer perceptions of CSL 1010's "leadership, quality and innovative stance".

The rebranding is the first major campaign created by Leo Burnett Hong Kong, CSL's new agency which was appointed after the operator parted ways with Euro RSCG three months ago.

CSL is supporting the rebranding with an integrated campaign - TV, print, direct and outdoor - which went live in early December.

In the TVC's dramatisation of a fast-moving world, a CSL user is seen moving ahead, while non-CSL users slide backwards. "We used a simple yet provocative execution dramatising the differences between @1010 users and non-users, leaving the viewer to decide whether to be the pacesetter or the one trying to catch up," said Patsy Lo, group brand director of Burnett.

In a link with CSL's previous campaign created by Euro, acclaimed Chinese pianist Yundi Li's performance of La Campanella provides the musical backdrop for the TVC.

"The construction of the campaign is strategically designed to address our target needs @1010, what is that our target needs and how they can use the services," added Lo. "The TVC is more about relevance, answering the 'why', while the print/outdoor ads are more about the 'what'. The DM is about answering the 'how'."

Au said CSL's target audience were upwardly-mobile business professionals.

"We want to challenge our audience to adopt a habit that they'll appreciate and enable them to stay ahead in this fast-moving world," she said.

Au said that 1010 customers represented the premium segment of mobile users in Hong Kong. It has the highest average revenue per user and value share in the market.

"Although the local mobile phone market is close to saturation, we see much potential in the growth of mobile data services and we expect the campaign to help boost both usage and penetration of mobile data services."

A second-stage of the campaign consists of a CD-ROM, in Time magazine's 'Top Ten World Leaders' edition.

"To break through the clutter and let our target have a first hand experience of how easy it is to stay ahead with @1010 Mobile Multimedia Communications, we partnered with Time," said Lo.

"The CD-ROM interface was designed with a mobile phone in mind. With it, our target can read about the life and achievements of 10 world-renowned leaders, as well as opt for a demonstration of other @1010 services like mobile email and money@1010."

HK TELCO SPEND (jan-dec 2002)

Company HKdollars '000

New World Mobility 25,548

Orange 23,695

PCCW 21,165

SmarTone 20,045

People's 11,134

Sunday 10,960

One2Free 6,317

CSL 1010 1,115

Hutchison 791

Total 120,771

Source: ACNielsen Adquest

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