Optus’ location services fail
Targeted advertising is the holy grail for many in ad land today. It’s all about talking to the right people in the right location.
But commuters at some Sydney rail stations have been left wondering why telco Optus said ‘Yes!’ to sticking ads targeted at the wrong suburbs up at some railway stations.
Like the good folk of Burwood who had an ad targeted at people from nearby Croydon put up at their train station.
I would not be surprised if this was deliberate, just to get people talking about it. Theres nothing like a big company screwing up that gets people taking photos and sharing it online!!! Well played Optus!
I find it interesting that neither APN or their media buying agency picked up on the mistake as the artwork was being installed!
Yes Missmarket… How obvious.
Install Mosman copy into North Sydney
Install Croydon copy into Burwood…..?
And right when they’re reviewing media agencies, too…
I reckon deliberate.
Look at all the free coverage they just scored.
Optus put some adverts at train stations= not news.
Optus put the WRONG signs at SEVERAL stations= coverage they can’t buy.
Optus has form when it comes to billboard advertising fails. I recall a billboard in Newcastle advertising super-fast mobile broadband, yet anywhere within a few hundred metres you were lucky to even get 3G. Same goes for one of their shopping centre stores nearby – same posters, and you don’t even get reception out the front of the shop.
@Rodney are people outside this industry really taking photos and sharing this online? Do we really live among such small minded imbeciles with that much time on their hands? And do these individuals represent a valuable segment for a marketer?
As far as free coverage for the error is concerned, even wide reporting within the marketing and advertising media is not worth the effort involved……remove your blinkers folks.
Maybe they are adopting Ferrier’s imperfect strategy to become more desirable
I wasn’t aware that only people who live in North Sydney were allowed to use North Sydney station.
Has anyone heard of ‘catchment area’.
@Really? so quick to pass judgement and sweeping generalisations on those contributing to the story. Clearly you have enough time of your own to write what is, so far, the longest comment here…! I’m not saying I agree or disagree with whether or not this was deliberate, but it’s far from being inconceivable. Pull your head in mate.
This comment section gave me cancer
@Mac i’m a quick study and dropping a few thoughts into a comment is not a stretch for my time.
Let me reiterate the main point – far too often on this site people use florid language such as “well it’s got everyone talking, it must be working”, “look at all the publicity this has generated” etc. etc. without stopping to think that publicity and talk within this specific and very narrow industry is a pretty useless outcome for a campaign.
It would serve us all well to remember that there’s a wide world out there where the common theme is a zero care factor about our little industry and what we produce, with or without mistakes.
I’ll happily pull my head in if everyone else pulls theirs out of their arse……
@really,
Friday, right? Your special day to vent existential angst, if I recall …..
Don’t be silly @JG. People from Mosman wouldn’t travel on public transport….
Bridgy I can’t believe I didn’t pick-up on the bleeding obvious.
They are too busy privatising anything with the word “public” in it and building more roads to solve the problem of too many cars on the road.