telecom

Boost's '4Genie' Grants Wireless Wishes

Phone-Gene-BBoost Mobile is moving from being an amplifier of consumers’ complaints about their wireless providers to showing how it can solve those problems in a new marketing campaign for its prepaid wireless programs. 

The effort, which breaks June 4, introduces the character of the “4Genie,” a being (portrayed by actor and comedian Faizon Love) that hears consumer complaints about their phones and wireless service and then grants the solution via Boost’s unlimited plan with “shrinking payments” (through which monthly payments decrease over a period of time).

“Everybody pretty much touts their 4G speed or their 4G coverage,” Peiti Feng, Boost’s director of brand strategy and marketing communications, tells Marketing Daily. “We want to differentiate from the competition.”

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In the first of three national television commercials, two women sit at a diner for lunch. One complains that her antiquated phone is too slow, but that 4G service is too expensive. In response, the 4Genie shows up and replaces her phone (via a command sounding like, “crack-a-lack-a-shing!”) with a new Android smartphone. “That’s how I do it,” he says.

“People don’t really know what 4G stands for,” Feng says. “We decided we don’t need to educate them. We need to make sure they have more fun with the character and drive them to our Web site.”

The company’s tagline, “Be Heard,” remains. The tagline was introduced in a campaign last year that highlighted consumers’ frustrations with their wireless networks. The campaign gave voice to complaints found on various social networking sites. 

“Boost has always been an ally in the wireless world. They like to listen to people and give them what they’re asking for,” says Matthew Elhardt, creative direct at Boost’s agency, 180 LA. “When Boost heard people were looking for a 4G plan that was more reasonable, they offered it.”

In addition to the television campaign, Boost and its agency have developed a “Wish Fulfillment Center” Facebook App. The app, which will launch next week on Boost Mobile’s Faceobook page, lets consumers enter complaints about their own wireless service. The 4Genie responds to the complaints via one of several relevant video responses (many of which tout Android smartphones and the shrinking payments program). 

The television campaign will air on broadcast and cable networks. The campaign will also include out-of-home elements illustrating how Boost is making people’s 4G wishes come true. 

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