KTF`s SHOW a marketing success

KTF`s SHOW a marketing success
기사입력 2008-03-14 10:00

http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=108&oid=044&aid=0000071843

A television commercial aired in February 2007 showed numerous sperm swimming toward an ovum in a lilac-colored womb. The ovum, upon accepting one of them, began rapid cell division.

Then there came the message: "The show begins in March - a show never seen and everyone has been waiting for."

KTF, the nation`s No.2 mobile carrier, adopted the previously taboo advertising scheme to stir curiosity about the new brand for its third-generation mobile telephone service, SHOW.

In 2007, the company started an innovative and aggressive advertising campaign in a bid to pitch the features of the SHOW 3G services such as video calling, global roaming and high-speed data service.

KTF, which was a distant runner-up to SK Telecom in the conventional 2G market, intended to transform itself into the top 3G service provider with the launch of SHOW on March 1, 2007.

None of the SHOW advertisements disclosed the name of KTF.

At the time of its inception, the nation`s 3G market was at an infant stage. The local telecom market was dominated by conventional 2G services represented by basic voice and text-messaging services.

KTF aims to jump to the first spot by taking the initiative in the nascent, but growing 3G market. For the first time in the world, KTF launched the nationwide service of High Speed Downlink Packet Assess, which gives higher data transmission speed and capacity.

The name "SHOW" intends to deliver its visual communication features such as video calling and data service.

"The 3G service has wide-ranging unique features, but what differentiates 3G service from 2G service most is visual communication functions," Shin Hoon-joo, an official of the carriers brand marketing team.

"The service offers as much fun as watching a show," he said.

The carrier came up with the name, SHOW, after 10 consumer surveys and brainstorming for nine months.

The word "SHOW" has a somewhat negative meaning in Korean, but the company hoped to grab public attention by creating controversy over the new name.

Its first ad featured world-renowned video artist Paik Nam-joon in a bid to deliver its key brand identity - innovation.

In subsequent ads, KTF also promoted the benefits of using 3G services such as video calling and global roaming - targeting families and lovers living apart.

In one commercial, a goose father - a man who lives alone in Korea after sending his wife and children overseas to study - has visual contact with his family members via mobile phone.

The company also has offered cheaper 3G handsets and competitive pricing plans so that people can use premium 3G services at affordable prices.

The prices of 3G gadgets and 3G services were cited as the major hurdle for the take-off of the fledging standard.

The new pricing programs include offering mobile internet service at discount prices. The firm also rolled out a new movie tariff plan which provides one free movie ticket per month and other benefits with its 3G users.

The movie tariff plan, which was launched in May 2007, was a hit, with over 200,000 people signing up for the service by the end of 2007.

KTF`s advertising and marketing efforts paid off, with the operator seeing fast growth in the number of its 3G users.

In April, KTF overtook its bigger rival, SK Telecom, in terms of the number of 3G subscribes, with its 3G users exceeding 300,000.

It took the company four months to attract 1 million subscribers to the new service, three months to have 2 million subscribers and one month to pass the 3-million mark. It took another two months to add 1 million subscribers.

The company swept top brand and advertising awards in 2007 for its successful launch of SHOW. KTF has been also inundated with requests for lectures on SHOW from universities and firms here and abroad.

By Jin Hyun-joo

(hjjin@heraldm.com)