BlackBerry seeks to entice youth market

by Ed Kemp, Marketing 27-Sep-06

LONDON - Wireless-email communications brand BlackBerry is planning a range of direct marketing activities and experiential events to promote its brand beyond its core middle-management audience to a younger market.

The Research In Motion-owned brand has hired RPM to handle its experiential marketing, while Meteorite will handle direct. The appointments were made following a competitive pitch.

It is understood the appointments are linked to the launch next month of the company's first multimedia device, BlackBerry Pearl. The device disposes of the original scrolling wheel and has a slimmer look, with a built-in MP3 player and camera. It is central to RIM's strategy to broaden its appeal.

The appointments complete a review of BlackBerry's agency roster. It kicked off a review of its £4m media planning and buying account last year, eventually appointing Manning Gottlieb OMD after a head-to-head pitch against Carat.

RIM also hired Albion to handle advertising, having split with Leagas Delaney, and, in June, picked design agency Figtree to handle its pan-European branding.

More than 3m people own a BlackBerry in the UK, making it the company's biggest European market, yet the brand has traditionally been the communications device of choice among middle and upper management.

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