stones
Back at Vodaworld’s website this morning in the hope of discovering that upgrading my wife’s mobile phone may lead to the free acquisition of a PSP or iPod nano or something, I was horrified to discover that Vodacom’s newest strategic partner is none other than Madame Tussaud’s Chamber of Horror’s (see image above).
No, seriously, it seems that Vodacom have linked up with none other than the Rolling Stones to promote audio and video streaming via Vodafone Live!. This “strategic move” can only be one of two things; really smart or spectacularly stupid.

Let me explain myself – Vodacom have punted Vodafone Live! as a “whole world on your cellphone”, which consists of “sport, games, music and pictures”. Now my relatively inexperienced marketing brain tells me that the prime target market for Live! features would be Millennials, our 13 to 21 year-old techno-savvy, gadget-loving young snots. I cannot see how Vodafone Live! features add value in the business environment whatsoever (based on what’s been advertised), but if you can prove me wrong I’d love to hear it. 3G, definitely. I use 3G functionality daily. But Vodafone Live!’s butt-naked dancing mongoose simply doesn’t rock my world.
Which is why you’ll understand my surprise at the choice of musical artist used to promote Vodafone Live!’s music download capabilities. I would understand Green Day, Good Charlotte, Linkin Park, 50 Cent and the like to be natural choices. But the Rolling Stones!!? I have nothing against the Stones, believe me. But I just cannot see how they appeal to a Millennial market.
Unless of course, as I alluded to earlier, this is an attempt to attract an “older” market, in which case I can see how our heroine-fueled grandfathers would be a given.
Below is another add from the same site, advertising the same product. Now the language is Millenial – with the Crazy Monkey gang being a talking point countrywide amidst the release of their feature film. Is this paradoxical approach intentional? Or is someone horribly confused?
Vodacom usually “don’t need no education” when it comes to effective marketing, but this way they’ll “get no satisfaction”. It’s like my old man always says – a Rolling Stone gathers no Millenials.
monkey

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