Vodafone Essar launched a rebranding campaign in 2007 after acquiring a majority stake in Hutchison Essar. In 2009, they launched the Zoozoos advertising campaign featuring animated characters to promote their value-added services. The Zoozoos ads became very popular on social media and television. However, Vodafone Essar wanted to increase revenues and reach customers in rural areas with the Zoozoos brand. They considered continuing the Zoozoos ads, launching a new brand campaign, or mixing Zoozoos with other characters. The recommendations were to further develop the Zoozoos brand, conduct research to make the ads more relatable in rural areas, and partner with other brands with rural penetration.

1. Vodafone Essar’s Advertizing
Strategy
-Section S3 – Group 4

2. Company History
• March 2007 – USD 10.9 Bn invested in
Hutchison Essar Ltd – 52% Stake by Vodafone
– Essar continues to hold 33% stake in HEL
• September 2007 – Rebranding Exercise
– HUTCH Vodafone
Vodafone Essar Limited

3. Rebranding Campaign
Marketing
Tagline – “Change is good...” Advertizing Channels
Baseline- Strategy Change
“Hutch is now Vodafone” Hutch
TVC
Where Ever you go our
Network Follows NewsPaper
Ad Focus Hoardings
Make the Most of Now
VAS & Price Radio
Rebranding Region
/ Network
/ Awareness Specific Vodafone
Focus
Advertizing Campaigns Sept 07 – Feb 2009
Oct 2007 – Dec 2007 – TVCs
Sept 2007 Mass Region Specific “Alert Services” Apr 2008 –
Dec 2008 – Jan 2009 – Feb 2009 – Amar
media “Hutch is Festival Specific – Beauty Tips, Happy to Help
Friends Circle Cheaper SMSs Chitra Katha
not Vodafone” Durga Puja, Astrology, Art of Featuring Pug
Diwali Living

4. Launch of the Zoozoos Campaign
O&M advertising agency
• Launched on April 20, 2009 withabout 30 different TVCs for
VASincluding – Cricket alerts, beautyalerts, phone backup, Chota
Credit,Vodafone Maps, Vodafone call filter,Live games, Musical
greetings... Etc
• 20 – 30 seconds duration with the ad message about the VAS. USP
Ending with“Make the Most of Now”
• Advertisements were launched during the IPL season 2 in order to Different Ad Each Day
make people aware about the VAS offered by Vodafone. IPL being – Huge Viewer Appeal
one of the most watched event in India, would help this Humor
promotion.
• Apart from the advertisements, company also offered other Likability – Funny ,
products like: Attractive
• Dedicated microsite where in people could participate in quizzes Unique Design – More
• Zoozoo ringtones, wallpapers and screensavers. Human – Perception
• Zoozoo merchandise, bags, keychins and t-shirts. of “Live Animation”
• The advertisement campaign was also launched on facebook, Relatablility – Zoozoos
twitter and youtube. It was a major hit on these social networking in all shapes & sizes
sites Advertizing Age :
- Mom, Dad, Kids
“World’s most viewed
Viral Video” Use of Real People –
1.45 Mn Views Human Factor

5. Problem Statement
• How to attract people in Semi urban – Rural
Areas ?
• How Zoozoo Campaign to Increase Revenues?
• Possibility of Zoozoo Brand to become bigger
than Vodafone’s own brand.

6. Alternatives
Challenges
1. Continue with Zoozoo Ads 1. Huge Push – Existing Brand
– New Services 1. Relatablity Issue
– Regional Targeting – Rural 2. Cultural Factors
• Customization
• New Channels 2. Reinventing the Wheel
2. New Brand Campaign
– Human – Emotion Element 3. Brand Dilution – Zoozoos
3. Mix of 1 & 2 for Urban & Rural 4. Brand Dilution – Vodafone /
4. Pug & Zoozoos Campaign Mix Hutch

7. Recommendations – Increasing Revenues
• Go forward with the zoozoo brand advertizement
– Customer Delight – Additional Services – Value Add
• Induce customers to come to store / Get free gift
– Use of Zoozoo for new upcoming services like 3G
– Market Segmentation – Youth – Incremental Benefit
with Extended Purchases
• Ringtones • Integration of Payment Services
• 2G / 3G Special Offers on with Retail
• Social Networking segments
• New Zoozoo Mobile App • Special Benefits for Visiting
Zoozoo FB Page

8. Recommendations – Increasing Outreach
(Rural & Semi Urban)
• Consumer Research on Cultural & Buying
Behaviors in order to
• Create Indian Zoozoos Ads
• Increase Relatability
• Ads in different regional languages – Zoozoos meet Indians /
customization with current affairs / local events
• Consumer Research on Points of Market Entry –
New Channels ( Rural Customer)
• Billboard – Local Saturday Markets
• Ad posting in Local Buses / Shared Auto in Rural Areas
• Alliance with Brands with penetration in rural markets / Run
Parallel Contests (Region Specific)
– Coke / Pepsi / HUL / PNG / Dabur / Godrej

9. Thank You