Deliveroo and Huawei take advantage of long iPhone queues to connect with customers

Capitalising on the hype surrounding Apple’s iPhone XS and XS Max, Deliveroo and Huawei took to the streets to engage customers queuing for the new iPhone. The move comes as hundreds line up to get their hands on the new iPhone, according to ST.The large crowds saw Huawei staff giving out free power banks to those in the queue. This is along with a pamphlet saying “Here’s a power bank. You’ll need it. Courtesy of Huawei.” The cheeky swipe takes aim at the iPhone’s battery capabilities, which has typically been known for not being the greatest in the market compared to others.Speaking to Marketing, Jonathan Ye, head of digital APAC and marketing director, Singapore of Huawei Consumer Business Group, said that the Huawei team was quickly activated to offer power banks to those in line. This was with the intention to surprise and delight and help fans get through the night by charging their phones Huawei's power banks."We know how gruelling a task it can be for people who had to withstand the long hours of waiting, and it’s also undeniable that smartphones have become an essential device to pass time," Ye added.For the case of Deliveroo, the company is extending its delivery services to those queuing for the much coveted mobile headset. All users have to do is set their location to that of Apple’s Orchard flagship store with the postal code 238857 and indicate where they are in the queue. This is also provided if there are eateries and restaurants which are in operation at the time.Some restaurant partners Deliveroo have highlighted as a result of the initiative include Five Star Kampong Chicken Rice, Killiney Road’s Royal Pratas & Curries Corner and The Drunken Poet.Deliveroo’s service extension to those in queues also comes on the back of its recent announcement of bringing its delivery service beyond offices and homes. This is to include outdoor areas such as parks or beaches, a statement read. The move covers all the markets which Deliveroo is in, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.“Deliveroo is always looking for new ways to make customers’ lives easier, if this launch is anything like last year’s, we know queuing for hours will mean lots of hungry people!” Sid Shanker, general manager, Deliveroo said.Deliveroo and Huawei are not the only brands to have jumped on the recent iPhone hype to strike a note with consumers this year. Just last week, Skyscanner took a cheeky swipe at the price of the new iPhone XS to take part in the conversation.In a Facebook post, Skyscanner listed four flights that will take consumers on an “epic trip” across Germany, London and Iceland which will only cost consumers SG$1,443, cheaper than the new iPhone XS which is currently priced at SG$1,649! The witty post, which garnered over 1.2k likes, 2.6k shares and 447 comments at the time of writing, said “A phone that will last you a few years or an epic trip that you remember for a lifetime – the choice is yours.”Meanwhile, making fun of the iPhone is not a new move for rival phone brands. Just last year, Samsung launched a new spot titled “Growing Up” which shows the decade-long journey of an iPhone fan who eventually converts to a phone from Samsung’s Galaxy series. In 2014, Samsung took a jab at Apple with not just one but six new hilarious videos on its YouTube channel.Google also got in on the action, launching an ad campaign consisting of several videos mocking the iPhone to promote its new Pixel 2 smartphone. Similar to Samsung, the ad poked fun at the iPhone’s “Storage Full” notification screen.Read also: Why consumers find the iPhone irresistible despite its premium price