Vodacom introduces two new services

Color-Up

Aimed at under-25 year olds, or Generation Y, Color provides its users with the option to purchase one or more of its uniquely designed Color-Up bundles to enhance the basic service. The add-on bundles will allow users to download music, ringtones and games, have access to social media packages and/or free talk time. Furthermore, when users register for the service, they will receive a variety of free extras such as a free Vodamail email account; free subscription to Color UR World with the latest celeb gossip, sports and headline news; product bundles and more.

According to Vodacom managing executive for marketing, Enzo Scarcella, "Following months of research into the behaviours, needs and wants of this market, we have learnt that what they want is to express themselves and engage with their peers, so we have created a relevant and compelling mobile platform that allows them to do so. For the company, this is a way to build a long-term relationship with them."

PR campaign drives launch

To introduce this product, the company will engage in a multi-level, through-the-line marketing approach utilising platforms favoured by the Generation Y market. "Given the way in which this generation interacts, we need to move away from the traditional, monologue media such as TV and print and develop a marketing campaign that speaks in dialogue with them. This echoes its positioning as one of the first big brands to have interactivity at its core."

Vodacom appointed PR agency Eclipse Public Relations to launch the offering. It was selected in a 4-way national pitch to drive a campaign that would enthral consumers, the media and staff. In the coming months, the campaign will build brand awareness through social media such as Twitter and Facebook as well as radio - this generation's preferred media. The brand will also be actively interacting with its audience via a series of high-visibility platform activations, public relations activities and other creative marketing elements.

Furthermore, local, high-profile and market-relevant icons will be coming on board as brand ambassadors and a number of young people themselves will be recruited to represent the product. The brand also intends to partner with aspirational youth brands and provide sponsorship to Gen-Y relevant lifestyle and entertainment events. For more information go to www.vodacomcolor.co.za or www.vodacomcolor.mobi.

LiveAds offer classified advertising

LiveAds provides a consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer classifieds service that enables users to post listings, find listings and set alerts directly from their cellphone or PC. Typical classifieds categories, which are supported, include jobs, vehicles, housing, items for-sale and personals amongst others. LiveAds will also allow consumers to browse listings based on their geographic location. These will be hosted on both a mobile and fixed Internet website and will be accessible to all cellphone users, which have a WAP-enabled cellphone or access to the Internet from a PC. It will initially provide free listings in all categories with no limit to the number of free ads. To register go to www.liveads.co.za.