Slim fit

Several times during my work with mobile phone manufacturers and operators, people have commented that mobile phones and services would be different if they weren’t created by ‘geeks whose bills are paid by the company.’ A harsh judgement, perhaps, but there’s something in it.

To a large extent new phone service development follows technology. Yes,
phones for gaming and music-listening show a sensitivity to people’s
needs; and operators’ range of service plans reflects their understanding
that individuals have different spending patterns (although not always a
willingness to explain that understanding to their customers). But Blyk
takes a step beyond these developments in its focus on a specific audience
who are very likely not to share the behaviours and aspirations of its
boardroom. This means a step away from a one-size-fits-all approach to
service design and an operation honed to answer the question ‘is this
something 16-24s want?’.

For me that’s the interesting thing about Blyk:
- meeting the basic challenge of providing what its members want (who
wouldn’t want more texts and calls?) and balancing that with advertising
sponsorship that keeps the business viable, and engaging for its members.
From my perspective, way outside the target member age group, I have
always seen my mobile phone as personal and disliked any intrusion (even
from my service operator) among calls and messages from friends and
colleagues. So advertising messages always seemed a no-no…until my recent
experience of working with Blyk, where I could see their potential for
entertainment and information erode my resistance, at least a little. So
what will be the value of advertising messages for Blyk’s members? And how
will the messages bind them further into the service?

And then something more:
- how Blyk will use dialogue with and between its members to stay close to
them? Will it be possible for members and service to work together to
develop Blyk in ways that haven’t yet been mapped out by company
strategists. [Right at the other generational extreme, Saga (the UK
organisation – originally a travel operator – for over 50s) has launched
its own social networking site and boasts 13,000 members after 4 months as
a beta site. Something has clearly sparked its target audience to engage –
but with less competition for attention than Blyk’s members.]
Can Blyk work with its members to pick up and respond to nuances that
might otherwise have been missed, and fulfil its intention to be the
network for 16-24s?

Add comment November 6th, 2007