Tata Indicom’s Photon+ conveys the need for speed

Using traffic pedestals and other ambient outdoor formats, the company is promoting its new broadband service, Photon+ effectively

Tata Indicom has launched its express wireless broadband service, Photon+, a portable, plug-and -play device that offers high-speed downloading capabilities. The service is available in Mumbai and in select cities across the country, on the Tata Teleservices Limited (TTSL) network.

To promote the service, the company has launched an innovative outdoor campaign, backed by other media as well.

Traffic pedestals in select locations in Mumbai have been mounted with 3D backlit models of the USB plug-in device. Conventional outdoor media, such as high visibility hoardings across the city, have been coupled with unconventional media, such as the traffic pedestals, variable message signs (VMS), designer bus shelters and a cantilever. Other mass media collaterals including press ads and radio jingles have also been utilized.

About the interesting use of outdoor, Shashank Pore, general manager, marketing, TTML, adds, “Mumbai is a city where people spend a lot of time travelling, and traffic kiosks are prime focal points in the city. What better media than the traffic kiosks for people constantly on the move and all the while looking for better speeds -- on the roads and otherwise?”

The backlit traffic pedestals have been put up at Marine Drive, Prabhadevi Siddhivinayak Junction., Bandra Kala Nagar Junction, Juhu JVPD Junction, and Andheri Shoppers Stop Junction -- areas that witness very high volumes of traffic throughout the day.

Retail POP in the form of posters, banners, leaflets, danglers, retail bags and wobblers have also been rolled out. Another innovative ambient media used is the Photon+ branded retail sensors at all the Croma outlets in Mumbai. These are the usual metal detectors and sensors present at entrances, which have been designed to look like the Photon+ plug-in.

Pore says, “All in all, we worked with various media and innovated to tap the target audience of office-goers and corporate whiz-kids, at spots where they would stop and register the message. We have managed to create a pull in the market with our advertising and a steady recall for the product, which is evident from the demand for the product today.”

Internet access on Photon+ devices is also available across the country on the Tata Indicom CDMA 1x network. The Photon+ service is accessible via both USB modems and routers, catering to consumer and business segments. It was launched in Mumbai on March 18.

Discussing the launch, Ramesh Iyer, head, enterprise business, Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) (TTML) says, “With the rise of Internet penetration in India, the awareness of and demand for wireless Internet connectivity is increasing rapidly. Also, with computer and laptop sales showing exponential growth, there is a huge demand for wireless high-speed Internet access. Photon+ is ideally suited to meet these requirements. We are confident of satisfying the challenging data communication requirements of our customers.”

The company claims that Photon+ is 20 times faster than existing mobile wireless technology, and is offered on the congestion-free Tata Indicom network.

For the record, TTML has over seven million customers in Maharashtra and Goa. These include reputed corporates, SMEs and residential customers. The company was recently rated the No. 1 wireless operator in terms of overall customer satisfaction across Maharashtra (including Mumbai) and Goa, in surveys commissioned by the TRAI.