BT switches to broadband led marketing strategy
BT is to focus the bulk of its marketing activity on pushing its broadband services for the rest of 2011 as it looks to build on a recent growth in take-up of packages.
The communications company, which is looking to deliver “superfast” fibre optic broadband to two-thirds of UK homes and businesses by the end of 2015, will link all product-based marketing activity to its broadband offering.
Broadband specific activity will offer a personalised BT speed quote to demonstrate the quality of its service.
BT marketing director David James says: “Broadband is the fuel that drives our business. Every marketing campaign will have a broadband element to it. Even if an ad’s key messaging is more about TV package BT Vision, we will communicate this is all possible because of great broadband.”
The company added 188,000 new broadband customers in the three months to December, its highest quarterly growth in eight years, increasing its total retail broadband customer base to 5.5 million.
Last year, BT’s marketing activity focused on BT Vision with a £30m push to promote its deal with BSkyB to show some Sky Sports channels.
Ofcom is pushing for ISPs to advertise “typical download speeds” rather than maximum to prevent customers being misled, while the Advertising Standards Authority is consulting on a change to ad codes that could see use of the phrase “up to” banned.
Separately, BT is readying the latest TV ad in its Adam and Jane series that sees the couple marry and will air during ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent next month. More than 480,000 Facebook fans voted on the ad’s creative.
James says: “This ad is payback to the fans. There are clear BT references but they are humorous rather than pushing product.”
