#180la

To My Great-Granddaughter (:60) - University of Phoenix)

Some voters face obstacles to casting their ballot. Let’s make this year every American has an equal voice. Boost Mobile launches Boost Your Voice campaign

October 11, 2018

2018 Gold Effie Winner North American Effie Awards

It’s no secret that, now more than ever, launching purpose-driven messaging platforms is a priority for many brands. In the strongest examples, the chosen cause is highly integrated with a brand’s DNA, which signals authenticity and ultimately drives effectiveness against philanthropic and business goals.

2018 Effie winner Boost Mobile already had a long-standing brand purpose: to give the hardworking person a voice through affordable, reliable phone service. But ahead of the 2016 U.S. election, Boost and 180LA identified an opportunity to add new dimension to this purpose – by elevating the voices of Boost consumers in a new way.

Many communities affected by barriers to voting were also home to Boost stores. So Boost would use this footprint as a tool.

After a challenging planning process, Boost transformed stores in Chicago, Atlanta, and Southern California into polling places. And in other parts of the U.S., the brand mobilized voters through a variety of social tactics, regardless of mobile carrier. The achievements in sales, earned media, brand perception – and, importantly, voter turnout – demonstrate the effectiveness of the campaign.

“Boost Your Voice” won a Gold (Brand Experience: Live) and Bronze Effie (Positive Change: Social Good – Brands), and was a Grand Effie contender at the 2018 North American Effie Awards. We talked to Becca Taylor, Strategy Director at 180LA, for insight into how this ambitious campaign took shape.

What were your objectives for the campaign?  

BT: Prepaid wireless’s biggest selling point is, ironically, the biggest hindrance to loyalty: no long-term contracts.

Boost’s customers can leave them in the middle of the night. And they do. Who can blame them? Competitor A is offering free phones, Competitor B throws in lines for the kids, and Competitor C has the new iPhone. And of course, these competitors were outspending Boost 4-to-1 in media.

Boost Mobile’s target customer has bigger problems. He’s 30 years old and making $15/hour. He’s Black, Hispanic, or both. He has 1-2 kids or family back in Latin America to support, so he works multiple jobs to bring home $30k/year. How do you earn this guy’s attention, respect, and business - if only for another month?

180 proposed that Boost stop fighting for attention, and start fighting for their customers’ rights. (Boost proposed that 180 do it without a dollar of paid media.)

In one sentence, what was your strategic idea?

BT: Boost the voices of underheard Americans on the day they need it most: Election Day.

A Student's Perspective on Networking

by Randi Cantrell Working Associate Editor & Portfolio Studio Copywriting Student 

I’m just going to say it: there’s something about networking events that makes my palms sweat. For me, it feels a bit like being a cat; I am both curious and wary, excited and full of dread. One part of my brain thinks, “I’m a student. What can I possibly say? I have no idea what I’m talking about.” The other says, “Look! A chance to ask all those questions you have. Go!” Walking into The One Club for Creativity’s Intern & Creative Summer Networking Event was no exception, but by the end, I came to think of networking in a different light. Held at the Los Angeles office of POSSIBLE for the first time ever, the event was relatively small. This made it easier to mingle. Well, a little easier. Within a few minutes of assessing the scene and debating who to talk to, my friend and I approached a woman standing by herself. Soon after, a man politely interrupted our chitchat with her, saying, “I’m going to talk with you guys because I’m a lone wolf here.” Both were creatives who worked at agencies in the LA area. The four of us talked about portfolio school, the local agency scene, photography, how small a world the advertising industry is—a wide spectrum of topics. We had introduced ourselves by name, but titles hadn’t really come up. Until they did.

I suppose I should’ve asked sooner, because it turns out we were actually talking to two of the event’s panelists. One, a Creative Director at Team One and the other, the Executive Creative Director at 180LA. No big deal.

Before I could scold myself for not recognizing their names, for not saying or doing something more memorable, for not asking something more important that would uncover my golden ticket into the agency world, both were whisked off to join the other panelists. The Q&A was about to start.

In those moments before the panel began, I realized something important. Something I hope I’ll remember as I walk into whatever networking event I next attend, while my brain is playing that tug-of-war between fear and curiosity. Here’s the thing: having a conversation without first knowing who they were was actually a good thing, because it meant I could focus on, well, having a genuine conversation. Without being intimidated by their titles, I was better able to just listen to their perspectives and maybe, if I was feeling brave, share my own. Some of you may disagree. You might think I should’ve had an elevator pitch ready to go and a resume to hand off. You might say I should’ve pushed for an internship or a chance at a portfolio review. Maybe. There’s a time and place for those things for sure. But what if, instead of worrying about what we can immediately get out of a networking event, we focused on talking to other creatives like they were real, regular people, and not career genies who can grant all of our creative dreams if we charm them in just the right way.

I’ve since looked up their LinkedIn profiles and stalked their portfolios (oh, hi!), and they are both crazy talented and smart, but they don’t need me to tell them that. If I took away anything from the advice they shared during the panel, and I took a lot, it was that advertising doesn’t need more people to tell advertising creatives how smart they are. Advertising needs people who aren’t intimidated by a title, people who feel brave enough to share their opinion and bold enough to ask questions, people who can crack a joke and laugh at themselves. I’ll be the first to admit I’m still figuring this advertising thing out, but in my opinion, all of that starts with just having a real conversation.

You never know who you’re talking to.