Background: In a country with almost 40 million mobile subscribers and just 20 million internet users, Smart Communications, one of the Philippines’ leading mobile telecommunications companies, set out to make online media accessible to a wider audience. This was to involve popularising the concept of mobile internet use. To achieve this, Smart needed to upgrade its infrastructure to support HSPA (high speed packet access) technology. Having done this, the company set out to launch a mobile internet destination that would be the first of its kind in the country; no other domestic telecommunications company had made such a heavy investment in developing a WAP-based platform.

Working alongside Omnicom-owned Tribal DDB, Smart conducted extensive research, technical trials, and content and design development. The resulting Sandbox programme was the country’s first fully integrated web-to-WAP portal that bridged the internet gap between computers and mobile phones. With web and mobile-optimised features such as social networking, blogging, gaming, music and videos, Sandbox acted as a one-stop portal that put everything internet-loving Filipinos desired right in the palm of their hands. But as challenging as Sandbox’s development was, the biggest hurdle was working out how to drive and generate its user base.

Aim: Smart wanted to attract 100,000 initial users of Sandbox within a period of six months.

Execution: While above-the-line efforts concentrated on building awareness of Sandbox, a two-phase integrated digital marketing campaign was the key to driving people to sign up online and on mobile.

Phase One incorporated humorous viral videos featuring local internet celebrity Ramon Bautista to arouse curiosity for what Sandbox had to offer. The videos aimed to draw viewers to the site and view longer clips. The viral element was supported by an unbranded set of display ads prompting people to 'find out what’s inside the box'.

The videos were seeded in top video hosting sites, and had a very simple end tag: www.mysandbox.com. Upon reaching the site, users were made aware that the URL was not simply a website, but a massive digital portal created by Filipinos for Filipinos.

Sandbox offered free account sign-ups, with every new member receiving free gifts such as Krispy Kreme doughnuts and exclusive mobile downloads.

Once critical mass had been attained, Phase Two kicked off to entice people to try the mobile version of Sandbox by keying in m.mysandbox.com into their mobile phones. Banner ads were strategically placed within Sandbox and Smart’s own sites. Exclusive mobile content, such as the Eraserheads reunion concert video clips and music downloads, were offered to people signing up via mobile.

Results: The two phase campaign helped deliver the target of 100,000 members in four months, instead of the projected six months. The site itself is enjoying mass traffic with an average of one million monthly site visits, and a total of five million visits so far.

Client: Smart Communications
Agency: Tribal DDB Philippines
Project: Sandbox launch
Brief: Make people aware of Sandbox's mobile access offering and drive uptake
People: At Smart Communications: Annie P. Naval, Smart marketing group head Jerome Y. Almirante, head-VAS & Data Services Chay B. Cruel, senior manager Louie W. Ang, senior product manager
At Tribal DDB:
John Lucas, managing director
Daffy Jonson, executive creative director
Chewy Chua, managing partner
Arne Reodique, head of Digital Services
Lui Rufino, senior copy
Fair Raymundo, project management
Bry Ramirez, project management
Migs Francisco-Multimedia artist

Duration: April - July 2009