Motorists Vote With Their Finger in Aussie First

The Australian website FuelWatch has combined SMS advertising and transit advertising in a campaign which saw motorists vote with their finger in an Aussie first.

FuelWatch has achieved another first, becoming the first company in Australia to bring together two forms of leading edge advertising: SMS and tailgate advertising.

FuelWatch has taken the lead in testing these innovative advertising mediums, working closely with Brisbane-based, Rent This Space, and Sydney mobile marketing outfit, 5th Finger, to coordinate an SMS competition, advertised via tailgate advertisements on trucks.

FuelWatch National Manager, Matt Forman, said the promotion was another example of FuelWatchs ability to capitalise on new marketing trends. FuelWatch has consistently been at the forefront of technology, leveraging the FuelWatch brand with innovative and sophisticated technology to construct a campaign which has produced extremely rich results. Our SMS transit advertising campaign is just another example of how we are not afraid to try new mediums".

In phase one of the trial, a total of ten trucks set out and about on set routes around the Brisbane region, advertising a competition to win $250 free fuel simply by sending an SMS containing a letter of the alphabet to the advertised mobile number. A reply SMS gave entrants two additional offers: The first offering the opportunity to opt-in to more great offers from FuelWatch via SMS, and the second offering the chance to win a free car service simply by registering at the FuelWatch website.

Mr Forman said one of the core benefits of the campaign was that the propensity of people to communicate via SMS could be established according to geographical location. Each of the ten trucks travelled a set route over the three-week period carrying a different letter, which people used when entering the competition. FuelWatch has been able to create a broad profile of many entrants due to a high visitation rate to the FuelWatch website to register for the free car service.

We are extremely pleased with the results of the campaign and are looking forward to rolling the concept out on a national basis"

FuelWatch is constantly striving to make the benefits of FuelWatch more easily accessible, and using the SMS tailgate advertising campaign has allowed us to do so".

For the latest fuel prices or to register for a free email alert visit fuelwatch.com.au

For media enquiries please contact: Matt Forman on +61 7 3367 8544 on 0409 998 726