Virgin Mobile tasked us to deliver a campaign that had mobility and handset use at its epicentre. The aim was to generate brand awareness and build consideration in the lead up to Christmas, through reinforcement of the Virgin Mobile ‘Customer Benefits’ platform. This included existing items such as free Virgin-to-Virgin calls and voicemail, as well as a new Virgin group addition - bonus Velocity Reward points.

Game of Phones was created with a single proposition in mind, “rewards worth fighting for”. An innovative mobile ‘gamification’ app for both Android and iPhone was developed to seamlessly integrate key product information into engaging, absorbing game-play.

Via this innovative initiative, Virgin Mobile was able to drive active participation with the brand, which allowed multiple messages to be shared, both by Virgin Mobile and game participants, about the perks of being a Virgin Mobile Customer over the 3-week campaign.

The campaign launched via an irreverent branded content YouTube video, housed on the brand Facebook page. To drive awareness we leveraged an existing large online community by casting one of Australia’s biggest YouTube stars, Chloe Morello, in the ‘BFF’ role. Chloe pushed content out to her 750k fans. Earned media was generated through several profile interviews placed.

The initiative was Australia’s first ever mobile gamification concept with a national footprint. It as also Virgin Mobile’s most successful device-led campaign in the telecom's twelve year history delivering both a 5% increase in brand awareness and an 8% increase in visitors to the brand’s stores nationwide.

Game of Phones challenged Australians to hunt for 531 prizes in an innovative alternate reality mobile app game. Customers and non-customers downloaded the Android or iPhone app to compete by travelling in real time to a prize icon, as it was released on the in-game map.

Our control centre tracked and communicated with players nationally, utilising real time in-game notifications, as well as dynamic digital outdoor. To win, a player had to keep their prizes until the end of the 3-week campaign, but these could be stolen by others, which saw live on-the-streets interaction between almost 40,000 people across Australia.

Social shares earned points, with ultimate winner rewarded a $50,000 Virgin Holiday.

• 47,076 customers activated Velocity rewards (October13 to January14)

• 29% uplift in Post paid sales (October13 to January14)

• 338 editorial pieces with a reach of 18m+

• 6:1 PR ROI

• 39,245 active users played 64,942 sessions

• 2.5m app screen views

• 12,992 app social shares

• 66% social positive sentiment

• 76,200 unique visitors to the Facebook tab

• 191,095 launch video views

• 1hr12minutes spent on the app per active user

• 14,568 players entered a Virgin Mobile store to protect their prize/s

• 531 prizes stolen 82,395 times; 155 steals per prize

• 103m+ online impressions

• Players travelled 239,500km carrying prizes. Almost six times around the Earth.