Response Magazine - December 2007

“We play in many facets of youth culture,” Robinson says. “We’ve built a strong, credible brand on both the consumer side and in the entertainment community. We want relationships with artists that reinforce that positioning.”

Boost’s messaging centers around “helping youth get to that next level in their lives,” according to Robinson. During the development of the Anthem 2.0 campaign, Robinson says the company considered more than 60 members of its family of entertainment partnerships — “from IFC to Nick Cannon.” Robinson contends, “We chose three artists we believe are at various stages of getting to that ‘next level.’ Jermaine Dupri is already there — he’s a recognized producer and music industry leader. Young Jeezy is on the way up, just releasing his sophomore album, but he’s already branching out into other areas, like many hip-hop artists. And Mickey Avalon is an up-and-coming rock-rapper, who has been signed by legendary producer Jimmy Iovine.”

Robinson says that the combination of artists “reinforces what Boost is all about.” She adds, “No matter where they are in their careers, none of them are finished yet. They speak to aspirational kids — their lyrics and lifestyles strike a chord with our demographic.”

By adding well-known music video and feature film director Chris Robinson to direct the ad (he also directed the first Anthem ad three years ago), Boost knew it would get a fresh, innovative approach to the campaign, which also launches the Motorola i425 handset, Boost’s newest phone. “The television spot leverages the great look of the handset, which is prominently displayed by the artists throughout,” Robinson says. “The fact that these artists created an original piece of music specifically for this campaign speaks volumes to our connection to our market and our entertainers.”

Robinson credits Boost Mobile’s agency of record, Berlin Cameron, along with interactive agency Freestyle and media agency Mindshare with helping foster an integrated approach that began with the artists. The original track, produced by Dupri, includes messaging that echoes

the striving of the youth culture. When combined with 2-D and 3-D animation under Robinson’s direction, the ad’s message —“It’s Out There, Go Get It” — comes to life.

“The ad closes with the tag line and includes a drive to our Web site and to specific retailers, including Best Buy and Wal-mart,” Robinson says. This, in and

of itself, is an interesting story, as it is the first time Boost Mobile has convinced Wal-mart to agree to appear with other retailers in the direct tag at the end of a TV spot.