The Democratization of Wireless Phones
How Cricket Wireless partnered with Johnson Group to lead the dramatic change in communication culture by being the first brand to bring wireless phones to the masses.
SITUATION
Flashback to 2000 when:
CHALLENGE
Convince the population with the least disposable income and challenged
credit that they too should have wireless phone service.
STRATEGY
Johnson Group worked with Cricket to develop the “Comfortable Wireless” brand positioning.
The iconic, comfortable, green couch was always featured outside to reinforce that Cricket
was not a cordless phone, but a real wireless phone.
like me.”
CREATIVE
It started with two blue-collar workers, one admittedly with bad credit (a market ignored by all other brands), talking about how simple it is to own Cricket.
The Cricket Couch became a well-recognized icon and placed in venues and
events across the country.
The Cricket brand met the market where they lived, worked, and played.
We negotiated and bought the parking meters for a day in the inner cities where we launched the brand.
We advertised on the bus routes where our market lived.
We sponsored and refurbished venues in the investment zones of our markets.
Cricket offered the first “phone in a box” concept.
Cricket in Pop Culture
Invented the concept of
“cut the cord.”
“Cricket is the POLICE.” Cricket was believed to be owned by the police to track the drug trade.
Cricket was the first
“burner phone.”
The Cricket Couch was frequently stolen and displayed at fraternity houses and parties.
Pioneered the use (and complete bastardization) of the term “unlimited” as the first to offer unlimited talk, followed by unlimited long distance, unlimited texting and unlimited music.
RESULTS
Johnson Group helped Cricket launch their brand and a cultural movement
in 42 markets across the U.S.