Mobility World Congress: Vodafone South Africa (Vodacom) advertising success with please call me services

Rating: what a good idea

By Bena Roberts

I can remember years ago TIM in Italy launched free call me back services and thinking at the time how can you monetize these CRM initiatives. Well Vodafone (Vodacom) has done it in South Africa. Apparently South Africa is miles ahead in mobile advertising (according to Richard Saggers) and monetization of “please call me” is a great example?

So what is it?
Basically, in South Africa when people had low call credit they would phone up parents or friends and let the phone ring twice and then get a returned call. This was a way of keeping in touch but ate up network time without delivering cash. So Vodacom, set up an ad funded – “please call me back service”. The message is sponsored by advertising and users now set up an SMS which is free to send and the receiver gets an advert with the message.

Now, what a simple and effective solution.

Related News:

1. Vodacom launches two social networking services in South Africa
2. Vodacom South Africa launches new mobile advertising initiative
3. Vodafone has agreed to acquire 15% more in Vodacom Group
4. South Africa: Mobile Social Networks are New Advertising Medium
5. Mobility World Congress: Richard Saggers Head of Mobile Advertising Vodafone Group