Coop Mobile
The Channel Islands Coop is leading a revolution in local retail. As one of the oldest established, and only member-owned multi-service retailers in the Channel Islands, the business has invested in a digital transformation. The kingpin in this metamorphosis has been the launch of Coop Mobile, the Channel Islands first MVNO, but how do you take on the big-boy established networks when you’ve never run a mobile service before?
Change Needed
Coop Mobile needed a launch campaign that would land with a bang. Working alongside the brand’s design partner and technology team, the PR strategy needed to emphasise the differentiators and benefits of the new operator to persuade customers to switch, while managing the inevitable pitfalls and setbacks that occur when a business enters a new market for the first time.
Our Solution
We were embedded in the launch taskforce acting as PR counsel to the whole team, building local media and stakeholder strategies, creating or editing content, and managing negative media stories thrown up by competitors trying to disrupt the launch timetable.
We created a language and tone dictionary for the campaign to match the branding and advertising and used this for all internal and external communication. This was an intense, fast-paced project as ‘get-to-market’ as quickly as possible was essential.
As the launch date stretched, we were able to maintain a constant and consistent narrative in the media to build excitement and expectation among target consumer groups.
As well as retail and stakeholder communications, we used our extensive knowledge of the telecoms regulatory environment to counsel the project leadership when needed.
The Results
The launch of Coop Mobile was a resounding success, with coverage not only in local media but also in several trade publications covering mobile markets. The brand has gone on to win several international awards for the sector. Sign up continues to grow and the client says first year targets are being met.
