YOUR MISSED CONNECTION IS NOW ONLY A MOBILE MOMENT AWAY
Samsung and Koodo Mobile playing cupid for love-struck Torontonians with new social marketing campaign

Toronto, ON, August 5, 2008 – Bashful Torontonians looking for a little romance had extra help over the August long weekend with the launch of Samsung and Koodo Mobile’s Mobile Moment campaign. The unique promotion kicked off on Friday August 1, 2008 with street teams blanketing the city encouraging mobile users to text their ‘missed connection’ to MobileMoment.ca.

The Mobile Moment initiative is built on the missed connection phenomenon where people post messages in classified section of newspapers and on web sites hoping to connect with someone they saw on the street, at a bar or on the subway. Samsung and Koodo are making it possible for missed connection enthusiasts to text message 56366 where their missed connection messages are posted live for all Toronto to see.

“Samsung sees this interactive mobile strategy as a unique way to connect to an important market segment and increase brand awareness,” says Samsung Marketing Manager, Jo Allan.

Brand infiltration agency Espresso developed the concept after noticing the growing popularity of the missed connections classifieds.

“The idea of centering the strategy around the increasing number of missed connection posts here in Toronto appeared to be a fun way to reach Samsung and Koodo Mobile’s target audience,” says Espresso Chief Operating Officer, Jacquelyn Corbett Cyr. 
“After further research, we saw an opportunity to design a program that not only allowed people to actively participate, but to enjoy connecting through replying, sharing with friends, or even just watching the whole thing unfold as a spectator. We’re creating value for this segment by giving them a tool to play with a pretty fun concept. We’re also hoping to create increasingly powerful associations between the concept of connection and two really strong mobile brands.”

Street teams armed with Mobile Moment speech bubble cards are asking Torontonians if they ‘missed their connection’ at local hot spots such as bars, coffee houses, and on transit. Postering of missed connection notices throughout the city allow for an assimilation of the interactive experience in an street-level environment, engaging passers-by in the production of real-life user generated content, and directing them to text in their moments.

The campaign also includes an interesting use of a Google Maps application, bringing a mash-up tool to the concept. When a user adds a Mobile Moment, they have the option of mapping where they saw the missed connection. Then viewers can check out the latest goings-on in their neighbourhoods. A Facebook application also keeps users updated on the latest Mobile Moments with random messages displayed on their profile page.

“Reaction to the Mobile Moment campaign has been fantastic,” says Lise Doucet, Vice President of Marketing Communications at Koodo Mobile. “It’s getting attention because it’s using relevant social, mobile, and interactive technology and employing street level tactics to directly connect with our audience in a very real way.”

The month-long Mobile Moment campaign runs until August 28 when it culminates in the Mobile Moment Rendezvous, which will allow selected MobileMoment.ca users to attend an exclusive party featuring high-profile acts to be announced later this month.

About Espresso | Brand Infiltration:
Espresso | Brand Infiltration™ is an agency with offices in Toronto, Dallas, and Barbados, that specializes in emerging customer touch points. Currently providing thought leadership in the social media, mobile, and word-of-mouth/mouse areas of marketing, Espresso helps its clients to better understand consumer behaviour across media and designs programs built around that knowledge. For more information on Espresso visit http://www.brandinfiltration.com. You can read more of the thinking behind Espresso at The Daily Grind: http://dailygrind.brandinfiltration.com.

For promotional imagery please go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/infiltrators/sets/72157606538761441/

For more information please contact:
Will Lamont
416-322-3030, ext. 241
will@trilliumpr.com