Introducing the O2 Cocoon

Peter Kwong of advertising agency VCCP in London recently approached me about a project he is working on for mobile phone supplier O2.  

O2 recently launched a new 3G quadbrand mobile phone called Cocoon and the guys at VCCP contacted me to blog about it. Very much like Neville Hobson, I do get quite a lot dodgy pitches, most of the time from the USA but:

1)     The folks at VCCP actually took the time to read my blog and leave a comment

2)     Their pitch is of interest to me – I try to understand consumers for a living and just thought it would be a good idea to check out and get involved with the O2 Cocoon blog.  

I have been an O2 customer for years and as ‘a valued customer’ O2 upgrade my phone once a year no questions asked. I have now had a Samsung phone for the last 3 years, and I upgraded to a Samsung E [insert number] back in May.  Well that’s right – I don’t even know what my phone is called! Kudos to O2 for using an actual name rather than some random code we consumers, can never remember!   

The Cocoon project

The answer? Something emotional. Original. That doesn‘t look like a phone or a music player – something more natural, that‘s visually stunning and functions perfectly.’

I usually go for branded phones (Nokia, Samsung) even though I perfectly know that the O2 phones are out there… but why?

1) O2 phones are not advertised resulting in limited awareness of these phones

2) Consumers tend to go for well-established brand.

I won’t spend too much time reviewing the Cocoon phone at this present moment as I only received the mobile phone on Saturday – saying that the phone is pretty good and looks great and more will follow on the subject. I’d like to discuss the O2 Cocoon blog for now.  

First of all, I am glad to see that the Cocoon was developed with the help of consumers. Marketing lesson #1: marketing is about meeting your customers’ needs and wants.

I think the blog is a great idea – viral marketing can do wonders especially for an ‘unbranded phone’. The folks at VCCP told me that when purchasing the phone, O2 customers had the opportunity to blog about it on the O2 blog and they have also been approaching bloggers since July.  

Although I think the O2 Cocoon blog is a great idea, interaction on the blog is still fairly limited even though all technical problems reported seem to have been addressed.  The posts are generally good however the blog does not necessarily cover all technical aspects of the phone.

 As a qualitative researcher, I like to understand the ‘why’s’

• ‘I’ve had my phone for a day and I love it’ – what do you particularly like about the phone? Why?
• This is a seriously well thought out, sexy and functional piece of kit’  - which functions of the phone do you particularly like? Why?  

Although the feedback on the blog is certainly insightful to O2, I would like to see the blog’s administrator ask specific questions on the phone and get bloggers to leave a comment, something similar to a bulleting board. 

Saying that I am very impressed by O2 efforts and I’ll be reviewing the phone very soon!