Launching A Social Mobile global brand
In 2008, while the rest of the world was just getting up to speed about smartphones and 3G networks, INQ Mobile was already in next-gen mode. The newly formed European-based company turned to Sparkpr for our international experience in helping launch the INQ brand and announce their first mobile handset—a phone with social apps built into the software.
Spotlight the Ultimate Social Tool—And the CEO
The Sparkpr San Francisco and London offices worked in tandem to ignite the imagination of European mobile and business press: what would it mean to put smartphone-like functionality into the hands of the average consumer at a fraction of the price? We created a category name—Social Mobile—to position INQ ahead of the curve and used the trade press to educate carriers about larger data revenue streams.
Equally as important, we leveraged the knowledge and expertise of INQ CEO Frank Meehan. His experience on the carrier side gave our stories instant credibility. We presented him in situations where he could educate the media about carriers while highlighting industry barriers of device manufacturers, positioning him as a thought leader.
From zero to 60, instantly
On day-one of the company launch, Sparkpr secured an exclusive in BusinessWeek with follow-on coverage in hundreds of outlets. INQ and its CEO quickly became the hot mobile company and executive to watch. And just one year later, all efforts were rewarded as INQ was named Best Handset at the Global Mobile Awards. Since, INQ has closed deals with major carriers throughout Europe, Asia and Canada and will be in the U.S. in 2011.
