FOCUS: AGENCY OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2000 - MTV Youth Marketing Award - Burnett wins with SingTel 'Pod' strategy

Category: MTV Youth

Marketing Award

Winner: SingTel "Pod"

Agency: Leo Burnett Singapore

Leo Burnett Singapore has won this year's MTV Youth Marketing Award, for

a campaign created for Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel).

When the telecom market was liberalised in Singapore last April, the key

implication for SingTel was unprecedented competition - prior to

liberalisation, it had enjoyed a virtual monopoly.

The telco decided to target the youth market, having already established

itself solidly with the older generation.

Burnett was called on to create a new telco brand for Singapore youth,

with the objective being to expand SingTel's market share through this

segment.

SingTel would be positioned as a full-service provider with cutting-edge

products and services.

The name "Pod" was devised, connoting futuristic space, organic

sensations and new birth.

The Pod logo was to be dynamic, ever-changing and a complement to the

fluid nature of the telecommunications industry.

The tagline was "Make Contact", representing the need of today's youths

to remain connected and in touch with their friends, and to express the

desire of Pod to reach out and meet these needs.

A multimedia advertising campaign was created, incorporating

above-the-line (print, TV) and below-the-line (stickers, premiums,

collaterals, email invites to the Pod launch party, postmarks on local

mail, etcetera).

Across all advertising creative, Burnett strove to consistently use new

images, models and locations.

The launch TVC was shot in Bangkok to achieve "freshness" and

mystery.

This was in tandem with objectives to keep Pod ahead of the game and

connected to its youth audience.

An on-street survey conducted by Burnett showed that brand awareness of

Pod was high, with more than 70 per cent of respondents recalling Pod's

logo and tagline.

Meanwhile, ACNielsen's stochastic report showed that:

- Pod's TVC and print campaign achieved 50 per cent awareness;

- the TVC (teaser and full spot) generated awareness of 45 per cent;

and

- Ad awareness scores were extremely favourable in the target group (75

per cent among 15 to 19-year-olds and 62 per cent among 20 to

29-year-olds).

Most crucially, more than 80,000 new subscribers in both the mobile and

pager segments signed up for Pod, showing that Burnett had achieved the

client's objectives.