Carphone Warehouse develops X Factor sponsorship via web

by Hayley Pinkerfield, Revolution UK 01-Nov-07

Carphone Warehouse is backing its X Factor sponsorship online, marking a step beyond television idents.

The brand worked with ad agency CHI & Partners to create a mobile-phone
audition web site, following the interactive theme of the TV show.
Carphone Warehouse has until recently used a more traditional media mix

for sponsorship, but now wants to encourage brand interaction

online.

A 10-second TV ad acted as a call to online auditions, encouraging
wannabe singing stars to visit the site at
www.carphonewarehouse.com/xfactor.

Once online, users choose from a selection of songs and access complete
lyrics, then are encouraged to call a freephone number to audition. X
Factor presenter Fearne Cotton has recorded instructions to take users
through the process. After auditioning, users receive an SMS with a
unique code. By entering the code online, they can hear their
performance set in time to an animated Mowbli character. The site also
links through to the main Carphone Warehouse site. Online auditions are
open to the public vote, with weekly winning entries being aired as part
of X Factor TV idents.

The site is supported by in-store posters and leaflets featuring song
lyrics, a buyers' guide with a strong call to action, and TV ads. The
site will remain live until the end of 2007.