T-Mobile has taken an innovative and game-changing approach to marketing its wireless service. By taking a risk and condemning its own industry and competitors, T-Mobile was able to gain 22 million subscribers. Here are a few strategies from T-Mobile’s “Uncarrier” campaign to apply to your own marketing strategy:
- Differentiate your product and service- A huge part of T-Mobile’s marketing campaign was to redefine the concept of being a wireless carrier by emphasizing value that other wireless carriers such as Verizon and AT&T do not provide. T-Mobile made it a point to demonstrate its fairness, transparency, and simplicity in product/service compared to the other major wireless phone companies in its ads. For example, by getting rid of the dreaded 2-year contracts that most phone companies have, T-Mobile drew many more customers from competitor carriers.
- Take advantage of the power of authenticity– T-Mobile was very aggressive in its digital marketing plan. However, instead of constantly promoting its products, T-Mobile was able to get real people to show what they loved about the service. When real people show their appreciation for a company online, and its not sponsored, it proves to potential clients that the service is worth something. Another method is to involve company executives on mobile platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. This shows that your business is supported by real people who are passionate about what they do.
- Don’t be afraid to take risks– T-Mobile released a chain of ads bashing their biggest competitors (Verizon and AT&T) by identifying all the things people hated most about standard carrier services (contracts, data overuse, etc.) and putting them on blast. This caused T-Mobile and their hashtag #DontSettleforVerizon to be widely addressed on Twitter and other social media. By drawing attention to the company through a little heated competition, T-Mobile was able to show people how they had changed and improved.
- Know your audience– T-Mobile’s target audience is the growing millennial population. So, it took a more hip and new-age branding approach in its marketing. Using a bold pink font, ads full of energy and jokes, and modern-day pop icons can be extremely beneficial in capturing the attention of a younger crowd.
