Why launch a contest that keeps out potential customers? MTV and mobile operator Idea Cellular have announced the ‘IDEA Mobile Roadie Challenge’, on the lines of MTV Roadies, available to around 38 million Idea subscribers in Maharashtra including Mumbai, Gujarat, Delhi, UP, MP & Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, HP, Haryana, Bihar, Kerala and AP. The contest’s website excludes those without an IDEA number with a warning ‘The Idea Mobile Roadie challenge is open to Idea users only’.
The contest is available both on the web and via a GPRS-enabled mobile. Mobile users can also participate by calling 55456341 or by smsing ‘ROADIES’ to 55456. A link to the site is sent to the mobile and a charge of Rs 49 will be deducted. Why couldn’t MTV Roadies tie up with other mobile operators and look at a larger scale?
On visiting the contest’s website powered by Tribal DDB, subscribers can play a short game by filling in their contact details. This is verified by an sms sent to the subscriber’s mobile. At the end of the game, the subscriber will be called to invite him/her to participate in the contest, developed by OnMobile. The participants of the contest will be evaluated based on their performance in ten tasks for which points will be given. These include answering questions when called at odd hours of the night, general knowledge questions on the website, a picture based game on a WAP site that can be accessed by a GPRS enabled mobile, smsing, a rapid fire round and a treasure hunt, etc.
The top ten contestants will be shortlisted for the next round and interviewed by Raghu on phone. Remember – attitude counts! The winner of the ‘IDEA Mobile Roadie’ will win a cash prize of Rs. 1 Lac. The remaining 9 finalists will receive a cash prize of Rs. 5,000 each. The contest will commence from February 13, 2009 and will run till end of March 2009.
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5 Comments until now.
Why is exclusive contests bad idea ? idea is getting a popularity and they would sponsor it when they get this kind of popularity .. Also I feel this is the right tg for the idea cellular..
Rights of Admission Reserved! The contest that is exclusive to Idea Subs in not new, unique or bad in law though it may be bad in PR for the channel more than the operator. However, in todays times, MTV would be willing to sell their soul for incremental advertising revenues.
The contest has been sold as an ad-sales package to idea who has obviously demanded exclusivity on the channel. Idea could have had more modern thinking (exclusivity as a concept is dead) and used the opportunity to invite all subs to play and marketed to them the benefits of being on idea using mobile interactivity.
I can spot at least one violation of the law… the rules of the game need to be in a public domain. The fact that you cannot get any information/rules without spending money is an issue.
Winner selection criteria (including that of attitude) should be measurable and auditable. A 3rd party auditor must be appointed or anyone can question and challenge the selection process and take them to court and probably win…
MTV or Viacom, has some serious idiots at the helm for web/mobile. There is absolutely no thought being put into digital initiatives, more like add-ons for the TV sales team. These are not men, they are slaves
anon – u really seem to be pissed off with some1 at viacom ? going personal rather than discussing the contest models.. grow up sweetie.. this is a healthy discussion forum
hey…the rules of the game are available at http://www.ideacellular.com.Try putting in your non Idea mobile number and you will hear Raghu in his inimitable style give you the benefits of being on idea using mobile interactivity. Winner is to be selected by Raghu himself through an interview after the ten tasks.