Perfetti Van Melle offers free mobile talk time to promote Stop Not

For its snack brand, Stop Not, Perfetti Van Melle's campaign targets 100 lakh prepaid customers with the chance to win free talk time.

Confectionary major Perfetti Van Melle India has launched a unique marketing activity that targets young mobile users for the company's snack brand, Stop Not. Through the campaign, designed by media agency Maxus, more than 100 lakh prepaid mobile users are being targeted, who will stand to win free mobile talk time worth Rs 10 by calling a toll-free number and saying 'Stop Not' in a unique manner.

A prepaid mobile is tagged when the balance is below Rs 10 and is followed up with a message that says that the user need not stop talking with loved ones and can call the toll free number, 18001023006, to win free recharges every hour. After a user calls the number and says 'Stop Not' in a unique way, the style is reviewed and 102 winners are selected every hour, with a maximum of 1,836 winners in a day, who are instantly rewarded with free recharge worth Rs 10.

The obvious connection is the idea that is borrowed from the name of the snack, Stop Not.

Unny Radhakrishnan, national director, digital, Maxus India tells afaqs! that it is very important in the FMCG category to put forward the brand proposal, to get the brand proposition right.

"The basic brand promise in this case is that one cannot stop eating (the snack). Similarly, the idea behind the activity is 'don't stop talking'. It is simple, straightforward and contextual," he says.

"The power of mobile marketing, especially for a mass brand, is when advertising is simple. Any message recall is best achieved at a time when the relevance of that message for a consumer is high. This is exactly what this campaign delivers for Stop Not," adds Radhakrishnan.

According to a statement released by the company, the campaign is designed to target youth in the age group of 15-24 years, after it was found that majority of the prepaid mobile users are young and are almost always running out of talk time.

Launched last month, the campaign has already attracted 4,00,000 calls. The campaign will continue till mid-April.

According to Jayant Ambast, director, supply chain, Perfetti Van Melle India, technology combined with innovation is the new mantra for marketers today.

"We are exploring the digital platform more and more - on the web as well as mobile - to connect with our target audience. In this campaign, the brand values and the brand message are captured skilfully, 'Whatever happens, Stop Not'. The campaign aptly weaves together two elements - Stop Not's irresistible image and the youth's lifeline, free mobile talk time," Ambast says.