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…
