electronics

Snoop Dogg Adds G's In Samsung Promotion

Snoop-Dogg

Famed rapper, producer, director and "Little League football coach" Snoop Dogg is adding two more G's to his last name to promote regional wireless carrier MetroPCS's addition of the Samsung Galaxy Indulge.

"Snoop is a direct bull's-eye hit for our core customer target," Bob Fant, staff vice president of advertising and brand development for MetroPCS, tells Marketing Daily. "We thought [using him] would be a good way to get off the leash for this handset."

With a variety of one-cost price plans, MetroPCS draws heavily from minority customers (about 80% of the company's customers are African-American or Hispanic). Snoop's broad range across many different demographics -- and high social media presence -- will help the company appeal to more affluent and tech-savvy consumers as well, Fant says.

To promote the phone, the newly rechristened Snoop Dogggg appears in an Internet video series called "The G-Connection" being promoted both through the rapper's and the company's social media feeds. The video apes "The Dating Game" and other popular dating shows from past decades, with three potential suitors (all played by Snoop Dogg) trying to woo a woman. One of the men ("ReGGie") was voted "most inspirational student at his continuation school," while another (Grrrrrrregg) is a poet who likes to apply different creams and lotions to feet. The third features the rapper playing himself (albeit with 4 G's in his name), who boasts that he's had to "amp up my G's to facilitate my needs." (The video also features cameos from rapper producer Warren G, model Brittany Dailey and the golden-voiced Internet sensation Ted Williams). Subsequent videos in the series -- to be released throughout March -- will show Dogggg winning the woman's affections and explaining why the 4 G's are better.

"What's integral to our brand is we're fun and irreverent with our advertising and marketing in general," Fant says. "Some of our competitors -- including the big four [national carriers] are straightforward. They're about maps and dollars; we think that's a bit left-brained for us."

MetroPCS is hoping the video will catch on through viral channels, and is offering a contest to win autographed Snoop Dogggg gear, and Samsung Galaxy Indulge smartphones with MetroPCS service via the company's Facebook page. The company is also offering in-store promotional prizes such as signed copies of the rapper's upcoming CD, the Doggumentary, and a sweepstakes offering one winner a VIP trip for two to a Snoop concert this summer.

1 comment about "Snoop Dogg Adds G's In Samsung Promotion ".
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  1. Darrin Searancke from Halifax Chronicle Herald, February 24, 2011 at 3:25 p.m.

    Edgy. Dangerous, even. And the kids will love it!

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