objectives

DKC was retained by Sprint/Nextel in November 2005 to roll out its new Samsung moving-video-capable cellular telephone (which was only available through Sprint/Nextel).  

Campaign objectives were to generate subscriptions for Sprint/Nextel and sales of the new Samsung cellular telephone, which was designed to compete with the Motorola RAZR phone, offered exclusively through Cingular at the time. Additionally, DKC aimed to reinforce Sprint/Nextel’s “Third Screen” brand platform among younger demographics, who were more inclined to use Cingular or T-Mobile.

strategy

DKC’s strategy focused on establishing the phone as a must-have item by placing it in the hands of DKC’s celebrity clients and movers and shakers in the fashion and entertainment industries. DKC would then support this strategy with extensive outreach to national and regional broadcast media outlets across the United States and to consumer print and music trade publications.

Tactically, the cornerstone of the rollout campaign was the first-ever live full length concert, featuring Bon Jovi from Washington, DC and streamed to Sprint/Nextel video-capable cellular telephones.  

DKC worked with Bon Jovi (a DKC client) and his management to ensure Sprint/Nextel and the live cellular broadcast were central to all media interviews conducted by the band during the weeks leading up to the show

DKC created viewing parties with Bon Jovi’s fan club in which fans could gather and watch the concert on the new phones.  Phones and subscriptions were given away to select winners at these parties.

Additionally, DKC placed demonstrator models of the Samsung telephones in the hands of influential DKC clients and movers and shakers such as Esquire magazine and Daily Candy editors.

DKC supported the effort with a national media relations campaign targeting music and lifestyle media.

result highlights

DKC’s public relations efforts generated 66,000,615 media impressions and a total calculated advertising value of $5,405,033.20.

DKC secured major features in the Washington Post and Associated Press, which led to subsequent national pick-up.

DKC arranged for Esquire magazine’s fashion editor to integrate the new Samsung phone into a segment DKC created for NBC’s “Today Show” called “Cool Things Every Man Must Have.”   The segment demonstrated the video capabilities of the Samsung telephone by showing a Bon Jovi video, promoting the concert in advance and positioning the phone as sleekly designed and ideal for the man on the go.

DKC arranged for VH1 and “Access Hollywood” to air special advance segments on the concert and the new Samsung telephone.

The campaign resulted in an unprecedented spike in subscriptions and sales of the new Samsung cellular telephone, particularly in the New York and Washington, DC areas.