Skype may be the most popular consumer VOIP service in the world, but it faces numerous challenges, not the least of which is getting consumers to want to connect with their friends and family using voice.
So how can Skype convince consumers that there's still no more powerful and effective a way to communicate than with a phone call? The possible answer: remind the world that social networking and texting is a lame way to reach out and touch someone.
As detailed by AdAge, Skype has launched an ad campaign in the U.S. and U.K. that will certainly raise eyebrows:
The campaign, from Pereira & O'Dell in San Francisco, uses provocative lines to snipe at other technologies and social media. They include "When did it become OK to text Mum happy birthday?" and "140 characters doesn't equal staying in touch."
Other ads feature copy such as "Upgrade from a wall post to a first class conversation", "When did LOL replace the sound of laughter?" and "Your one-way ticket back to humanity."
Pereira & O'Dell's inspiration for the campaign came from internal research showing the decreasing regularity with which individuals reach out to family and friends with a phone call, a phenomenon that isn't exactly surprising given the popularity of social networking services and text messaging today.
"It was depressing," Pereira & O'Dell's Justin Cox told AdAge.
But the agency found a perfect outlet for its research with Skype, which was quick to embrace a campaign that centered on making "bold statements" in an effort "to grab people's attention and get them to think about how they communicate."
So will the $2m campaign work? The company, which Microsoft purchased last year for $8.5bn, certainly hopes so. But it isn't going to rely entirely on a message about the state of interpersonal communication in its effort to woo consumers.
According to AdAge, the "It's Time for Skype" campaign will eventually morph into something less provocative, focusing in on features that many consumers may not know Skype offers, such as screen sharing and instant messaging. With this in mind, it's clear that while Skype may really want you to pick up the virtual phone and call your parents, it won't be too upset if you cop out and send them an IM instead -- as long as you're using Skype, of course.
Reader comments (4)
9:20PM on 4th April 2012
This is absolutely ridiculous. Social Media is doing to Skype what Skype did to the physical telephone, so now they're scared and complaining about it? Get real Skype.
Instead of complaining and wasting money on ad campaigns like this they should be working on better Skype integration with Social Media.
10:44AM on 5th April 2012
The modern world is about combining technologies, not replacing old with new. Skype should embrace other social media platforms and methods of communication, rather than trying to form enemies.
The quotes "When did it become OK to text Mum happy birthday?" and "140 characters doesn't equal staying in touch." just prove my point. If you are unable to phone or not near a computer, then texting someone happy birthday is great, then you could phone them later. The thought is there.
We are all busy, that is how life is. So if we have 140 characters to stay in touch with someone, isn't that better than nothing?
11:35PM on 2nd May 2012
Skype is a product that really works. It is easy to use and will save people millions of dollars on phone calls. There is no way that Skype is not going to become even more popular, especially when it can be introduced in even more obvious ways to the Microsoft operating system. Looks like Microsoft is going to have a comeback sooner or later.
Digital Marketing Manager at Piece of Cake
4:03PM on 21st May 2012
So, Skype is paying to advertise calling? #fail?
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