Virgin Mobile last week gave start-up new-media PR shop
Big-mouths.com the go ahead to promote its phones to the IT and internet
press.
Former Virgin Net PR head Lisa Hulme, who founded Big-mouths.com last
month, will head the account. The agency will work alongside Virgin
Mobile’s lead agency, Consolidated Communications, which is handling
consumer and trade PR for the launch, and will report to PR head Steven
Day.
Hulme has been briefed to promote the phones’ internet
compatibility.
Virgin has used a technology called wireless application protocol for
the phones, which, when internet sites are developed to take advantage
of it, will allow users to do anything from checking TV listings to
buying tickets, listening to music and managing their internet bank
accounts on-line.
The phones went on sale this week, and Hulme will highlight the fact
that they will be available over the internet as well as through Virgin
shops on the high street and over the phone. Users will also be able to
manage their mobile phone accounts over the internet.
Hulme said: ’The phone is at the centre of two rapidly growing markets -
the internet and mobile communications, which are finding points of
convergence. One of our key markets for smart phones is PC owners,
especially those that are currently on-line.’
