SmarTone signals a shift in local offering

OGILVYONE   SMARTONE   TELCO

Hong Kong - SmarTone-Vodafone has consolidated its creative business with OgilvyOne as it seeks to reposition itself as a total communications provider.

SmarTone-Vodafone said the company had been sharing project work between JWT and OgilvyOne, but was now working on a more permanent basis with the latter.

OgilvyOne has a five year relationship with the telco company, helping to launch its Home Broadband and residential fixed-line HomePhone+ services.

The news comes as SmarTone-Vodafone today's kick starts the launch of the Vitesse, a netbook with built-in mobile broadband capabilities.

To promote the netbook, SmarTone is looking to new media and said in addition to print and online advertising, social networks like Facebook and Twitter will play a key role. The company will also host a blogger engagement night and is targeting local bloggers and technology editors to trial and review the product.

OgilvyOne was responsible for the creative and Initiative has again taken the lead on media buying and some strategy work.

Sean Rach, managing director of OgilvyOne Worldwide Hong Kong, said SmarTone's latest offering is part of its move towards becoming a challenger brand.

"SmarTone-Vodafone is a challenger brand and management have been very supportive in taking a challenger view of the market," he said.

"What we're trying to show is that there is a credible alternative and that's the core of what we have been working on."

Douglas Li, CEO of SmarTone-Vodafone, said Vitesse represents the new face of mobile broadband and moves the company towards a full service communications offering.

"Our aim is to make lives richer with a full portfolio of products and services, ranging from mobile to mobile broadband and fixed broadband," Li said.

"These are all delivered on our wireless network that boasts superior coverage, greater stability and consistently higher speeds. Our customers will love the difference we are bringing to them that keeps SmarTone-Vodafone ahead of the competition."

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