The Johnson Group developed the “Comfortable Wireless” brand positioning, the wildly successful Cricket Couch icon, all creative concepts and the traditional and alternative media plans & events across 42 markets.

The campaign was simple and unique, like Cricket and established the green couch as a recognizable brand icon for Cricket’s Comfortable Wireless.

The Johnson Group pioneered the use of purchasing parking meters as media in launch markets. This gesture symbolized the comfortable, hassle-free nature of Cricket.

The iconic Green Couch was used on wild postings.

The Green Couch was localized for event marketing and dealer channel advertising.

POP was created that launched the idea of cutting the land line cord.
The Johnson Group created “Couch Around Town” events where the Cricket couch became premium seating at concerts and sporting events.

For the dealer channel, The Johnson Group created branded packaging that acted as advertising in the dealer stores.

RESULTS: Cricket launch advertising achieved 90% awareness in 90 days in launch markets. The Johnson Group launched 42 Cricket Markets across the US. Market penetration ranged from 3.5% to 12%.

The Johnson Group used both focus group and quantitative segmentation research as guidance in developing the “Nothin Like It” brand positioning, creative and traditional, digital, social and alternative media plans.

SYSTEM ALL SHIFTS

A three-year television commercial series featured famous fast-food icons caught betraying their brands to indulge their love of Krystals.

In one spot, the King is subjected to psychological reconditioning to stop his Krystal cravings.

Yes, we received a few cease-and-desist letters. But technically, and legally, we were within our rights. More importantly, consumer response was outstanding as this approach was an ideal fit for Krystal’s brand personality—bold and a bit irreverent.

Icon Outdoor:

The concept was ideal for outdoor boards which were strategically placed in markets where broadcast was not feasible and as direct support for the TV in our broadcast media markets.

Icon Animated Banners:

The concept created highly viewable, animated banner ads that were geo-targeted against individual stores in markets where traditional media was not affordable as well as being placed to directly support our traditional media markets.

Icon Print Ad:

The concept also proved to be our most effective franchisee ad when adapted for a regional ad placement in the Wall Street Journal.

RESULTS: Cricket launch advertising achieved 90% awareness in 90 days in launch markets. The Johnson Group launched 42 Cricket Markets across the US. Market penetration ranged from 3.5% to 12%.

The Johnson Group conducted multiple focus groups across key target segments as input to develop the “Get Closer” brand positioning, unique creative executions and media plan.

Challenge

FSG wanted to target the business customers of the large regional banks in their markets. The same large banks that are known for making their decisions out of town, not at the market level.

Strategy

We developed a simple Brand Positioning: Get Closer. Then, we developed a very creative way to communicate it. FSG’s CEO, Mike Kramer went on camera, face-to-face, in a television commercial to demonstrate FSG’s commitment to being closer to their customers via location and relationship.

We developed a simple Brand Positioning: Get Closer

:30 television commercials were created for online and traditional TV placement to support the launch of the brand in the specific geography of key distributors and retailers.

As a ground breaking way to promote the ribbon cutting of a new FSG branch, The Johnson Group allowed FSG to Get Closer to their customers around the world by creating: The First Ribbon Cutting in the Palm of your Hand.

This unique, virtual reality app allowed customers from Russia, India and across the U.S. to participate in the ground breaking and even have their photos taken at the event—all in the palm of their hands.

The Johnson Group used extensive consumer and category market research to develop the “Unlimited Airtime” brand position, the talking frog icon that represented unlimited airtime, all creative concepts and the traditional and alternative media plans & events.

OBJECTIVE: Spin off the nTelos Wireless prepaid business into a separate prepaid brand that could compete against the launch of Cricket, Boost and the other major prepaid’s entering nTelos’s main markets.

The Frawg brand was launched with a spokesperson who had both the looks and unique attitude to capture the market’s attention.

The Frawg’s attitude was then spread virally with a digital talk to text app.
Geo-targeted banner ads were used to seed the Frawgit App.

A personalized media kit was delivered to all key media contacts.

Targeted video pre-roll ads were used to target prepaid prospects during the holidays.

Unique Frawg Air Jordan billboards were placed to geo-target high potential areas or our markets.

Attention-grabbing 3D billboards were created.

Guerilla media was used to reach the young audience where they live, worked and played.

Unusual, yet brand-centric guerrilla media was used to create buzz.

POP was developed for dealers and Frawg retail stores.

RESULTS: Prepay reached the penetration goal of 3% or greater in all launch markets. Frawg continues to be a viable prepay brand.

The Johnson Group introduced Krystal’s new Freeze product by creating and launching the fast food industry’s first 3D augmented reality app and then applying it to hundreds of thousands of Krystal boxes to cross promote the product. Fifteen second TV and digital video advertising and POP were created and placed as well.