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Brief
3, Ireland’s fastest growing mobile network, has launched Ireland’s first video-on-demand service fully funded from advertisements targeting all 3 customers. The FREE service which is available to both Pre and Post Pay 3 customers is powered by mobile enabler Gorillabox. It comprises of a range of mobile videos funded through advertising in the form of ten second adverts placed at the beginning and end of the content video stream.
Strategy
MOBILE OPERATOR 3 Ireland wanted to launch a free video-on-demand service that its subscribers could access directly from their mobile phone through the Planet 3 portal without any network charges.
Launched with relatively little fanfare at the beginning of May 2009, 3 Ireland’s head of products Rob Langton says there has been a “strong uptake” of the service. Users provide some basic demographic information – age and sex – as well as their preferences for content they would like to see the first time they access the service. He says that news, weather, sport and film trailers are on subscribers’ wish lists and it is now working with Gorillabox to source this kind of content.
The demographic information will be used to ensure ads are relevant to the individual who sees them, said Mr Langton. “If people see stuff that is relevant and free, it attracts them to Planet 3.”
Execution
Gorillabox, with its own mobile video platform (known as the G-Box platform) for on-demand or live mobile video or audio over mobile networks had the capacity not only to support video download and streaming for any type of mobile but also to deploy ad-funded videos with pre and post-roll advertising.
Knowing that, 3 Ireland asked Gorillabox to develop their new free on-demand video section on their portal, Planet 3.
The service can now be found under the ‘Free Stuff’ icon on Planet 3. Content such as short films and comedy, celeb news and gossip videos can be viewed for free by 3 customers.
Demographic information is requested for all first time content users, enabling 3 and Gorillabox to develop tailored content for consumers and target audiences for potential advertisers.
As a truly 360 degree mobile service provider, Gorillabox not only designs, builds and managed the 3 Ireland service but can also manage all customer data capture.
Results
View demo of the video on Gorillabox YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/gorillaboxmobile
Gorillabox was glad to work with 3 and provide advertising content volumes of video streaming, the way 3 Ireland was expecting it.
Launched in May the wholly ad funded service has been a tremendous success with over 12,000 users in its first 3 months viewing an average of 40,000 video streams per month. Unsurprising almost 75% of users to date are male with Comedy, Sport and Music proving the three most popular forms of content.
“Three Ireland is pleased to be leading the market in mobile video and this new ad-funded service” says Nancy Lyndhurst, Business Manager, Three Ireland.
“Gorillabox’s technology will enable us to show our strength as a leading edge new media and ecommerce brand and the combination of branded and User-Generated content should provide something for everyone.”
Nancy Lyndhurst, Marketing Manager Three Ireland
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