Giffgaff moves out of beta and runs first ads

Giffgaff, the mobile network that is run by its users, is moving out of beta phase and running its first ad campaign to boost new recruits.

GiffGaff campaign
GiffGaff campaign

The network pledges on its website not to make expensive TV ads but to use its “dosh to say thanks to our members for helping spread the word”.

The debut campaign has been created by Albion and will run in the Metro newspaper and on LCD screens in rail stations, therefore sticking to the letter of not producing expensive TV ads.

The campaign is designed to appeal to a demographic of people who resent paying money to the big mobile phone networks by suggesting giffgaff is a way of avoiding being a slave to ‘the man’.

In the ads ‘the man’ is portrayed literally and lampooned for things such as avoiding public transport and frequenting gentleman’s clubs. The ads launch next week and will run nationwide for three weeks. Media is through ZenithOptimedia.

Cristel Lee Leed, chief of marketing at giffgaff, says: “We wanted our launch campaign to communicate in a humorous and engaging way that there is finally a refreshing alternative for consumers in the world of mobile operators.”

Giffgaff’s CEO, Mike Fairman, says that there are six million people in the UK who prefer to steer clear of big mobile companies. Giffgaff does not run call centres, instead encouraging users to earn credits on the network by answering fellow members’ questions and getting their friends to sign up to the service.

The company launched in beta last November. It runs on the O2 network and is a SIM-only, pay-as-you-go service.

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