Sony Ericsson’s Pocket TV (Series 2)
Issue 16 | September 2010
Agency
Iris London
Creative Team
Show Concept: Brand Entertainment Director: Iris: Charlotte Soussan; Show Titles: Creative: Iris Studios: Matt Beveridge; Channel Design: Creative Iris: Carlen Voigt
Production Team
Executive Producers: Julie Jakobek, Andy Holland: JA Digital; Charlotte Soussan: Iris; Series Producer: Mel Smith: JA Digital; Line Producer: Emma Carter: JA Digital
Other Credits
Client: Senior Marketing Manager, Sony Ericsson UK & Ireland: Richard Dorman; Project Manager: Brand Entertainment Director: Iris: Charlotte Soussan; Media Buying: MEC: Kamil Yadallee & Tom Parkinson; Social Media & Blogger Outreach: Brando: John Hobson & Yasir Alani; PR: Brando : Ranjith George & Graham Day
Date
13th April 2010 - 31st October 2010
Background
Sony Ericsson launched Pocket TV to re-engage with the brand’s target audience of ‘digital youth’ – 15-24 year old digital super fans – and to make sure Sony Ericsson was part of this audience’s conversations to increase brand consideration in a year of limited product launches. The show was made to appeal to a key, harder-to-please audience, whilst communicating on a wider scale to the mainstream.
Due to its success, and to continue engaging with ‘digital youth’ when Sony Ericsson launched a range of high-profile new handsets, the show was re-commissioned for a bigger, better series in 2010, featuring A-list stars like Jude Law and Forest Whitaker.
Idea
Sony Ericsson’s Pocket TV was a made-for-mobile show of four vids each week in a thirteen week run. Each video is built around a four-to-six minute ‘pocket sized’ interview with some of the hottest artists from the world of music and entertainment, as well as live performances. It was edgy, quirky, witty and it did not take itself seriously and thus challenged perceptions of Sony Ericsson as a serious, hi-tech brand.
Pocket TV’s guests, people like Mark Ronson, Basshunter, Ellie Goulding, David Guetta, N-Dubz, Taio Cruz, Chipmunk and Alexandra Burke, were enduced to show fans a different, less rehearsed side of their personality.
Although made for mobile, the show was also available online and had a dedicated YouTube channel so viewers could stream the show on their mobile via YouTube.
It was also available on demand on PlayStation 3 and will be on Sony Entertainment TV from August 2010.
The show was promoted on its platforms of distribution as well as through a comprehensive blogger outreach programme and social media plan. For series 2, a competition offered someone the chance to become a paid runner for the show and film a video blog on Sony Ericsson Vivaz HD.
Results
Sony Ericsson’s Pocket TV was an instant hit but the new series exceeded all expectations, reaching 7 million views in the first 3 months.
In addition to the 3 million views the first series recorded, this makes 10 million views so far across both series.
Our Thoughts
Matt Powell, one of the Cyber Lions jurors at Cannes this year, told Directory that finally, after at least five years of headlines saying ‘This is the age of mobile communications’, the age of mobile communications may almost be here. There were a number of ideas which got shortlisted, showing that the category is getting livelier even if little of the work won Gold.
For me, the interesting thing here is the evolution of the ad agency creative into a commissioning editor, someone who knows the brand and its values inside out and can generate engaging content without necessarily producing it him or herself.
The idea is take-the-mickey TV, with geeky, cheeky Matt Edmondson winding up his interviewees. The Russell Brand/Jonah Hill show seems to have had the most views. Have a look at: http://www.youtube.com/pockettvshow#p/u/6/kbt128dQbyQ