Virgin Mobile entered India to target the youth market, capitalizing on a demographic of 200 million between the ages of 15-24, in a highly competitive environment with numerous players. The brand embraced a unique identity that resonated with the discontinuous desires of Indian youth, positioning itself as a 'partner in crime' and connecting through innovative and humorous advertising. Within two years, Virgin Mobile became a leading youth brand, achieving rapid growth, high customer satisfaction, and multiple industry awards.

1. Building a youth brandin a youthful country

2. Virgin mobile entered Indiato be the brand for the youth • An easy task at first glance • A country with 200 mn between 15 – 24 yrs • No mobile service provider specifically targeting the youth

3. Till we looked around and realized

4. A High Clutter Category, With 10 Large Players$600mn spent on mass media aloneGrowing at 40% p.a!!!Telecom = 13% of all SOV> 1000 different tariffs each month >1 new ad each dayQuicker breakeven requirement

5. In India today,everyone and everything isyoung15 years since economic liberalizationLargest consuming class between 25-45 yearsNew found affordability and avenues of consumption A market of ‘middle-aged’ teenagers

6. Youthful an easy way for brands

8. Young country but no youth brands

9. “40 is the new 20”Meant that the 20s had nowhere to go

10. Virgin mobile realized that the youth in India were squeezed by the youthfulSet out to build a brand that they can call their ownThat marks out the real youth in motivation than in imagery Thereby change the game in a hypercompetitive market

11. We are the Change Agency.We believe brands that want a future must embrace change.

13. We realized that the Indian youth were changingBut in their own unique way

14. Discontinuous desires that needed discontinuous waysNever before focus on selfSmall shortcuts are okNot a persona whitewashed in goodness The rise of anti-hero archetype

15. 74% of youth insisted that good or bad is their personal choice, not a matter to be decided by society or anybody else.

16. The locus of morality was shifting from outside to inside“We believe in being honest, but only to ourselves”“What worked for my parents generation does not work for me, who wants to wait that long?”

17. Seeking partners in crimeNo baggage, no need-gaps A silver spoon generationSeeking a legitimization Relationship of empathy not hierarchy

18. Realizes that the ways of today’s youth are discontinuousExhorts them to be inventive and find new ways around old thingsPlays a role in legitimizing it, by challenging the status quoVirgin Mobilea ‘partner in crime’

19. Bypass the firewall of sanctions

20. Changing The GameLife PromiseTargetingEveryoneTargeting SpecificallyRational Claim

21. Creative Thought

22. The Proposed Brand PersonalityBoldCheekyInventiveBuddy

23. Setting The Brand Up

26. The Product Is The Brand

30. For the first time in India, advertising not all whitewashed in goodnessOMG they put it on National Television

31. And In Their Own Words…Think Hatke fits perfectly with the ad. All Virgin ads have a surprise at the end The same situation happened to me a week back. I should have done this”Man; i wish i had that idea when i was in high school hahhaThe girl is really smart and intelligent. Everything was planned from beforeThis is really a cool idea. We should try it next time with our parents”“ Its about new and unique solutions. Seems the company’s services will be really different from the others”

32. ResultsFastest MVNO to reach a million subsARPU of 30% above the industry average.#1 in CSAT in 1st year itself90% of those who recalled the ads identified them correctly with the brandWebsite recorded 4,039,835 visits during the year, with 78% new visits.Average 5/5 ratings across all Virgin ads on YouTubeScored higher than all competitive brands on imagery parameters of being ‘innovative’, ‘young’ and ‘trendsetting’

33. Within 2 years Virgin mobile became a brand that the Indian youth could call their ownSpontaneous associations – youth and Think HatkeA host of awardsMost Innovative Mobile Services Award for 2009Effies in 2008, 2009AME in 2009Jay Chiat Planning Award 200926th Most Trusted Brand in India in 1st yearTwo finalists at Cannes 2009Case study at the Global Youth Forum 2009, Esomar APAC 2009

34. But in the world of youth Change is the only constant

35. Circa 2010,Virgin Mobile launched its GSM service

36. An occasion to refresh the brandGrow the brand from college to office goers – share of a larger pieRe-plug the brand to the changing motivations of the timeTo further increase the imagery gap between Virgin and others

37. Based on 3 key Changes in Consumer, Category & Brand

38. Consumer : From Individual to SocialSocial networking finding a natural breeding ground in a collectivist, affiliative society Rising collective power of India’s youth

39. Category: From Phone to ComputerMobile industry pushing data usage for higher ARPUsSmartphones + Flat rate data plans + 3G = Rich Media UsageMobile as the default internet device in India

40. Brand: From College To First JobThe new wave of jobs especially IT - more money and bigger desiresA good job, first sign of real Independence

41. Key Consumer, Category & Brand ChangepointFrom Individual to SocialConsumer From Phone to ComputerCategoryFrom College to First JobBrand

42. The Network AlchemistVirgin Mobile is the only network which constantly gives youth new ways to get ahead, by maximizing the power of their connections

43. Doston Ka Network

44. Recent Work

48. Key TakeoutsLeverage insight, not just imageDeliver honest value, the product is the brandHumour connects Speak with them, not to themGet comfortable with the uncomfortableBe a pirateConstant eye on CHANGE

49. Thank You