Cricket Campaign Aggressively Claims 'Half Is More'

San Diego — Vying for the 51 million Americans it says are considering switching from a contract wireless carrier to a no-contract offering, Cricket Communications took direct aim at competitors AT&T and Verizon Wireless this spring and summer with a national “Half is More” campaign.Cricket began disseminating online videos in May, followed by print, retail, social media and television campaigns rolling out in June – the same month Cricket began selling the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone; it also sells Apple’s iPhone 5 – and continuing through the fall.It’s a harder hitting and more aggressive approach than previous campaigns, says Deborah Jourdan, senior director of marketing at Cricket. “We did quite a bit of qualitative and quantitative research to understand who was most likely to switch and why, and what their path was when switching carriers. It starts with the phone, but they are also looking for a lower price.”Lead agency TPN, Chicago, dubbed the target as “affordability lifestyle” consumers. They want to pay less but not compromise; they want cool phones, unlimited everything, nationwide coverage and no contract, says TPN’s Sarah Cunningham, senior vice president, client service.Cricket.com’s “Half is More” microsite compares the Cricket plan of unlimited data, talk, text and music at $45 a month to AT&T’s $120 and Verizon’s $90 plans with a message that says, “Get unlimited plans for half the price of the competition and do more.” The site allows users to compare plans as well as browse Cricket’s devices and plans. Pre-roll ads and banners tout the “Half is More” message and drive traffic to the microsite.The company’s TV ads, also disseminated via social media and Mycricket.com, use a humorous approach by pointing out that consumers wouldn’t pay double for other things in life. TPN collaborated with independent Chicago writers who have written and produced shows at The Second City and The Annoyance Theater. One ad claims to shoppers that they could buy the exact same burger from a food truck for $5 or $10. They pick what they pay. “If you had the choice,” says the hamburger hawker, “you wouldn’t pay double for anything, so why are you still doing it on AT&T and Verizon when you know if you switch to Cricket you pay half?”Cricket builds engagement online through blogger outreach and social media (handled by Chicago-based Zocalo Group). Among the activity is a Facebook “hub” at mycricketsocial.com/halfismore and the use of dedicated hashtags: #WhatsYourMore and #MasParaMi. A photo contest encourages Cricket fans to upload a photo showing what they are doing more of by saving on their wireless bill. “We know from path-to-purchase research that most wireless research is done online before a consumer eventually goes into the store to purchase,” says TPN’s Cunningham.Cricket refreshed the in-store materials at its nearly 3,000 stores to showcase clear, affordable pricing. (Signage in the past, Jourdan says, tended to be more promotional.) The new P-O-S complements Cricket’s rate plan bar that has been in-store for about a year.Cricket service is also available through Walmart and RadioShack, supported with in-line displays. Those retailers will see updated materials in October.Out-of-store events such as “Random Acts of Half” has Cricket representatives popping up in cities throughout the summer and paying half of consumers’ tabs at coffee shops, gas stations and restaurants.Cunningham says that sales are being measured along with website traffic, improvement in brand perceptions and the increase in consideration. “Leading indicators show that the campaign is driving new folks into the store,” Jourdan says.

Cricket Campaign Aggressively Claims 'Half Is More'

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