Adgully Exclusive | Vodafone Blue is the answer to youth's mobile social networking needs : Vodafone Essar's Kumar Ramanathan

Vodafone Essar, one of India's leading telecommunications service providers has launched Vodafone Blue, to provide a differentiated experience to its customers. Designed to put the Facebook experience into the heart of the handset, the phone allows users to easily share and connect with their friends anytime, anywhere. Vodafone Blue is crafted specifically to bring an "outstanding and affordable integrated mobile Facebook experience' to pay-as-you-go customers.

Developed in collaboration with Facebook, Vodafone Blue, brings the qualities of a classic Smartphone together with popular social networking functions ' from status updates to sharing a photo, in an attractive, intuitive mobile phone. The phone is competitively priced at MRP. Rs 4950/- (inclusive of all taxes) only.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Kumar Ramanathan, Chief Marketing Officer, Vodafone Essar highligted the fact that mobile internet plays a central role in the daily lives of millions of Vodafone customers, many of whom are avid Facebook users. "Vodafone Blue is the answer to our youth's mobile social networking needs. The phone has been designed to let everyone experience the fun of connecting with friends on the go, at a pocket friendly price", he said.

Sighting the need to launch a product like Vodafone Blue, Chris Dixon, Senior Manager, Terminals, AMEAP, Turkey, said, "as a market, India has massive scope, as against saturated European markets. Thus we enter a market that is in it's growing stage and look to make a make such projects successful. After India, we see great opportunities in countries like South Africa, Egypt, Turkey etc".

Speaking about the advertising campaign, Anuradha Aggarwal, Vice-President - Brand Communication & Consumer Insights, Vodafone Essar Ltd, said, "the campaign has an international look, feel, imagery. This is done to allow discovery and challenges to the consumer's sensibility in terms of building a connect with the target market". The campaign has Ogilvy doing the digital bits while Mexus has done the creative. "Facebook has been an integral part of our recent communication strategy and processes, and thus we have Vodafone Blue, developed in conjunction with Facebook", she said. Being launched on various platforms, having a heavy online presence starting with Facebook, Vodafone Blue campaign has a catchy jingle that has made radio another important platform to present the product to its customers. The television commercial for the same goes on air this weekend.

The phone takes Facebook integration to a different stage by providing all kinds of updates as counters, notifications, and displays Facebook posts regularly in the background - all through a designated F button, making it user friendly. Serving a bundle offer of unlimited access to Facebook for a year from the date of its purchase, Vodafone Blue positively claims to offer a compelling, out-of-the-box experience. | By Ankita Tanna [ankita(at)adgully.com]