Case Study: Pioneer Cellular
"Hook Me Up" Teen Marketing
As national competitors continue to move into the rural areas Pioneer serves, they must continue to communicate their neighborly brand and local distinctions to their current customers and prospects. Add onto that the need to target one of the largest growing cell using demographics, teens, and Third Degree knew that any outreach to this younger audience needed to:
- compete with the national guys courting the same kids;
- still gel with the Pioneer local, straight-talking brand; and
- reach these spread out rural teens wherever we could best impact them.
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| HookMeUpPioneer.com Microsite |
"Hook Me Up, Pioneer!" is the teen program we developed, and this kid-focused micro website became one of the cornerstones of our integrated communication plan. The site features special offers, iTunes giveaways, plans and phones that are teen-targeted plus extra info like short-code, texting and Blackberry tips.
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| A Mixed Media Approach |
Direct mail, radio, sporting event banners, facebook ads and school paper ads are some of the ways we drove teen traffic to the web site. Visitors to the site were prompted to provide their email address, so they could print out a coupon, come into a Pioneer store near them, and get a free iTunes card, the strategy to:
a.) start to build a relationship with this audience that Pioneer had never reached out to before; and
b.) build a email list for future contests, offers, and special promotions.
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| In-Store Locker Standee and Notepaper Floor Clings |
It was important to have a Hook Me Up presence in the Pioneer stores to help "connect-the-dots" for any teen visitors, as well as their parents. Locker standees and floor clings added a whimsical, fun element.
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| "Getting The Hook Up" Cards & Surprise Giveaways |
One of the non-traditional ways we first got our Hook Me Up feet wet was at a local premiere of the Twilight film. Pioneer surprised teens in the movie theater lobby with "it's on us cards" that were passed out to teen (and tween) ticket-holders to use for complimentary concessions.
The card also prompted them to visit a Pioneer Cellular store, where they could get a $10 iTunes card and a Hook Me Up t-shirt.
Another non-traditional way we've reached out to rural teens specifically is at the statewide annual FFA convention. In years past Pioneer has had a tradeshow booth. But this year, with the Hook Me Up rebranding, we wanted to really rev up the engagement factor. We set up a free photo booth for teens and their friends, decked out with plenty of fun FFA-themed props.
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| "Hook Me Up" Branded Photo Strips & Online Photo Gallery |
Kids from all over western Oklahoma flocked to the booth, and walked away with Hook Me Up branded photostrips they could share onsite, as well as a link to go to HookMeUpPioneer.com for digital pics they could share with their friends online.
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| Taking On The Teens: One Step At A Time |
Hook Me Up is just starting to build momentum, as we continue to build upon those teen touch points. It's definitely new territory for a company that is usually reaching adults through mass mediums with easy-to-track price points and special offers. While there has been an increase in site traffic and store visits from teens, the results in cellular sales to this younger demographic, is still a number we're keeping an eye on. Building a relationship with an entirely new youth market is one that will take persistence, and that Pioneer has decided to tackle sooner rather than later.
