#MTN Pulse is Back, #ItsWhoWeAre Campaign is one of MTN’s attempts to Unlock the Youth Market, but above that, it seeks to Rise the youth at Heart to Greatness. By Melvin Udosen
Won’t you rather join the pulse generation? Young at heart grab all opportunities at their doorsteps. Brands are now tailoring their product offerings to the young generation. The elderly now associate themselves with many of the packages targeted at the youth.
Old school music is now infused to the new generation music; you would be amazed how the older generations dance to the hit tracks of Davido, Falz and others. Brands are using entertainment to capture youth’s attention.
Telecommunication companies are using the same approach, MTN and others are leading the digital revolution with unbeatable internet connectivity, tailored made business packages, cheaper calls and unlimited streaming of music, movies, and other entertainment packages.
MTN Pulse is one of the innovative packages from MTN; brand analysts describe it as the biggest, hippest, hottest and trendiest package exclusively for the youth and the young at heart.
Pulse Generation
There is one group of global consumers who have their fingers on the pulse more than any other. They are considered as an important segment in consumer market. Firm’s revenue largely depends on how well they are reached. Marketers formulate series of strategies to attract and retain them.
Over 7.4 billion of the world’s population is Millennial or youth, they are critical to the success of most brands, they have a high influence on the buying decision of the other market segment. They set trends that are adopted by other demographic groups.
“Of all the currents of change running through the consumer marketplace, Millennials are the greatest disruptor,” says Willy Kruh, Global Chair for Consumer Markets at KPMG International.
Telecommunication companies globally are targeting youth as their major customers and adopting various strategies to attract them. Quality of service, pricing, value added offers, trust and switching cost have impacted on the youth purchasing behaviour.
Today, youth are the most active segment on the internet; they use the internet for entertainment, to enrich their lives and their communities. The driving force behind this growth, particularly in Nigeria and many other African countries is Smartphone penetration and cheaper internet services. In Nigeria, over 70% of online users access the web via their phones.
MTN understands this growing trend; it understands that reaching the youth requires the right data, the right tools, the right strategy, and the right people.
Pulse is Back
The social media space was disrupted when MTN Pulse was re-launched recently. The message travelled far and wide, the revamped data package for the youth set the social media blazing with the hash tags #PulseIsBack #ItsWhoWeAre and #MTNPulse took over Twitter, Instagram and other social media.
Pulse in an enabler that allows the youth express themselves however they choose, empowering them with relevant offerings tailored to their lifestyle. Pulse is beyond a data package, it’s a movement of trendy individuals in a world of limitless possibilities. To join the movement, dial *406# and use the hash tag #ItsWhoWeAre to express yourself online.
General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, Richard Iweanoge, disclosed that subscribers on the pulse plan can enjoy unlimited streaming of the latest and exclusive hit jamz on music, browse, download movies all night, and also get 1GB data for just a token.
Beyond the exciting data package, he further stated that the product is an enabler that empowers the youths with relevant offerings fit for their daily academic and lifestyle needs.
Iweanoge said: “MTN Pulse is much more than a tariff plan; it’s a lifestyle and a movement of individuals who want to stand out from the crowd, proud of their originality, pacesetters, and trendy. With MTN Pulse, you can enter into an unlimited world of possibilities.”
Giving the major benefits of the package, MTN’s Public Relations and Protocol Manager, Funso Aina stated that with pulse, subscribers can get 1GB for ?500 from deal zone valid for seven days as well as enjoy all night browsing for ?25 only. Others benefits according to him includes; access to unlimited streaming on music+ at N10 daily.
The Commercial
The launch saw the screening of the Pulse movie and hit track 406 Na the Code done by Pulse ambassadors, Falz, Tekno and Skales.
The commercial lasted for about two minutes, it employs the use of humour, action and a wonderful setting. Three executives of a rival brand drives in high speed to the waiting hand of Falz, who is refer to simply as CSO to attend to urgent distress call. Falz, in his humorous manner faces the most senior of the trio and announced; “have your seat first, hactually sir, hawaworxt fear hav just been confarmed, MTN Pulse is back!”
He goes on to explain to them that MTN has come again with MTN Pulse, which is meant to change the face of entertainment. He tells them how the network is trying to help the upcoming artists to showcase their talents, either they are popular or not popular. At this stage, the scene shifts to where a number of young boys and girls are making effort to outdo one another in various entertainment areas.
At this stage, one of the three executives announced; “We must stop them.” In a jiffy, the four of them including Falz, rushed out in a commando style. A roving helicopter appears from the moon and zooms off, living the four scampering for their lives. Frustrated, the most senior of them turns to Falz and shouts “CSO do something,” but this appears too late as the comedian seems uninterested in the whole drama. At a corner, Falz is shown fumbling with his phone and after some seconds simply tells his colleagues that he too has migrated to MTN Pulse. The well scripted video throws jab at rival brands through the use of selected colours that readily tells viewers that the losers are represented by the four staff of the company who attempts to stop the MTN Pulse. In what look like a show of victory, Skales and Tekno with a lady appear with traces of yellow in their dresses, like the conquerors.
Empowering the Youth
The youth boredom are been rekindled with excitement courtesy of MTN’s entertainment events and shows. The Success of music stars, Praiz, Omawunmi, Chindimma, Iyanya, Timi Dakolo and others are a pointer to the giant strive of MTN’s contribution to the entertainment industry.
MTN Project Fame, Pulse Campus Invasion and sponsorship of entertainment events across Nigeria and the rest of the African continent have put MTN at the heart of the young generation. The company through its ring back tones popularly referred to Caller Tunes is rewarding Artistes for helping to distribute their musical contents.
In 2013 alone, Caller tune subscribers reached 17 million; the figure is more than double currently. More so, in 2014; the company paid about five billion royalties to Nigerian music artistes who had their content on the platform.
The re-introduction of MTN Pulse is the company’s mission to empower more youth through unbeatable offerings. Iweanoge said MTN Pulse was the brand’s proposition for the youth and that it is back and even better. “Pulse is a lifestyle because it helps you become whatever you choose to be! Pulse is a lifestyle data package from MTN that empowers the youths with relevant offerings fit for their daily academic and lifestyle needs,” he said.
From Music to Movie industry, MTN has employed over millions of peoples and it will do more especially with its innovative product, MTN Pulse. So, when tomorrow beckons, MTN would still be there “leading a bold digital world” where it would be supporting millions of our people to break new grounds because MTN believes that Nigeria’s “future holds more promise than its past.”
So are you an aspiring singer? Is fashion your thing? Are you a technology geek or a budding entrepreneur? Wherever your passion lies, with MTN Pulse you can join a community of bold individuals and like minds who are not afraid to express themselves. Why? Because #ItsWhoWeAre.
