• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, April 17, 2013

Portland, ME-based The VIA Agency has been selected to handle integrated marketing chores for startup mobile carrier Republic Wireless, after a review, the client has confirmed.

The scope of work includes creative advertising, as well as digital and media duties, the agency said.  Contenders in the review were said to include McKinney and Roundhouse Marketing.

According to Kantar, Republic spent $72,000 on ads in 2012 when the service was being “beta tested” with several thousand consumers. The client declined to say how much it would spend on ads this year as the service rolls out more broadly. A company rep said the ad budget would be “competitive in the wireless telecom market.”

Republic, a unit of Raleigh, NC-based Bandwidth, is pitching a low-cost, no-contract service that relies where possible on Wi-Fi connections to transmit service. It also has an agreement in place to use Sprint’s wireless network when Wi-Fi service is unavailable.

VIA’s first work will appear as the client launches service in several regional markets throughout the spring.   

“We’re at a crucial stage of our growth, with incredible potential to change the dynamics of the mobile industry,” stated Noreen Allen, CMO, Republic Wireless. “After a comprehensive agency review, we felt that VIA was the best partner to help us realize that potential.”  

“It’s rare to get the chance to partner with a company at such an early phase, and we are looking forward to helping Republic Wireless break onto the national stage,” stated VIA CEO John Coleman.

VIA, a full-service independent shop that was founded 20 years ago, counts Unilever, Perdue Farms, Welch's, Sam’s Club, Romano's Macaroni Grill, People's United Bank, DuPont and Samsung among its clients.