Discover

a) Client background
Rarely does a new brand come along that’s ground-breaking in terms of making people’s lives easier, and this is rarer still in the increasingly saturated and commoditised mobile technology market. Yota is one of these brands – one that symbolises a new generation in Russian innovation that stands to reshape the telecommunications market worldwide through its benefit-led, customer-centric approach.

Yota is the world’s first 4G high speed wireless mobile broadband network, allowing instant ‘on the go’ internet access anywhere within its networks. Originally launched in several Russian cities, Yota also now operates in Belarus, Peru and Nicaragua. Understanding that the future of mobile telephony income is in licensed content as traditional income from voice and SMS becomes obsolete through web-based mobile platforms, Yota also offers its customers access to online music, TV, films, books, photo sharing services and VoIP.

b) Business challenge
Its ambition? To be the first international technology brand out of Russia that provides high speed mobile internet access wherever there is a critical shortage of fixed broadband access, and that will change the everyday lives of people in developing nations and remote communities. From live wireless streamed 3D lessons and multimedia content as a new educational tool through to improved healthcare services via remote access to patients’ medical records for healthcare professionals on the move and virtual appointments via video call for patients in remote communities – all of this is possible with Yota. And powered by WiMAX technology, it provides supersize mobile internet access to music, videos and downloading large files like nothing else available.

Our partnership with Yota has lasted three years (and counting). They wanted a true creative partner that was nimble enough to help on their ongoing and ever-changing brand journey, an agency who could provide ideas, tools and inspiration, not just take them to a final destination.

Like any new technology brand launch, this one was loaded with challenges:

• Why should people get excited about connecting and engaging with yet another intangible technology they don’t understand, when they’re comfortable with what they already have?
• How to muscle in on a market dominated by big competitors ready to fight tooth and nail against any suggestion that their technology is outdated?
• With the initial launch of services in Russia, where 40% of the population doesn’t even own entry-level mobiles, how to motivate people to ‘skip a generation’ and embrace the future?
• How to future-proof a brand that would be resonant with people in Russia as well as emerging markets worldwide?
• How to create a brand that will attract, retain and galvanise employees to improve service, efficiency, energy, morale and performance in a business that grew from four to 1,300 staff in just two years?
• How to make sure that any new products or services fit with the Yota masterbrand?

c) Research findings and customer insights
We immersed ourselves in Yota’s world and questioned their belief that this was a challenger brand. Instead, we suggested that Yota represents something completely different from fixed broadband wireless and mobile competitors: not an alternative but an entirely new technology-enabled choice for customers.

Far from being a disadvantaged newcomer in an established market, Yota could be a pioneering lifestyle brand of almost limitless potential.

Define

We encapsulated this thinking in a bold core idea that is the benchmark for everything Yota says and does: ‘Enjoyment Unlimited.’ From this starting point, we gave the brand an emotive, community-based appeal – aimed at getting customers to want ‘in’ rather than just want ‘it.’

Design

Sure, we designed the Yota logo and visual identity. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We helped them build stories, tone of voice and content around the brand positioning. We looked at their brand architecture and created principles for how the Yota brand and name is used across different business services, products, commercial partnerships and joint ventures. We did lots of naming. We defined a research-based customer segmentation strategy, so they can develop a truly customer-centric brand that supports the business strategy and drives customer loyalty and retention. We documented the brand elements in an engaging and simple way so local markets have greater control and consistency of communications. We created a range of fun souvenirs used to embed the brand with staff. We had a hand in retail design, point of sale, packaging, office environments, advertising, viral marketing and conferences. We came up the idea for Yota Space, a two-week long bold and ambitious celebration of interactive digital art, music and interactive theatre in St. Petersburg, to build emotional connection with current and future customers. Then we did the name, identity and marketing for it. In fact, at last count we’ve had a hand in over 75 different types of brand activities and communications.

And we did it all by choosing not to focus on dazzling people with technological wizardry, because 4G is all about the benefits to consumers and the humanisation of the technology: having fun, saving time, spending wisely, staying ahead, being closer to loved ones and learning.

Visually, we reinforced this attitude. So the logo, for example, doesn’t just symbolise Yota’s values but also raises a smile. It’s called Nuf and it’s the word ‘fun’ read backwards – exactly what Yota brings to communication and entertainment.

Deliver

Yota has grown from being a brave idea between four people, to becoming a leading visionary in the telecoms sector – in just three years. It’s now an established mega-brand in Russia and continues to develop in other countries with its unique, combined offer of products and services on its 4G network. Millions of customers have flocked to the brand – seeing its worth and wanting to feel a part of something continually evolving and exciting.

Operational break even point achieved less than five months after the network’s commercial operations began.

• Corporate customer subscriptions increased by 62% after the first month of trading.
• 600,000 customers, half-year results of $66million and 80% market awareness in Russia just 14 months post launch.
• In March 2011 Yota announced a deal with rival Russian networks Beeline, Megafon, MTS and Rostelekom to roll out its 4G system across the country’s 180 cities, making it available to more than 70million people by 2014.
• Yota Space received over 500 pieces of press coverage – that’s more international media coverage than the Moscow International Film Festival, which is now in its 33rd year.
• Google Russia Awards 2009: Winner for Most Searched For Brand in Russia.
• 3rd most wanted Russian employer (according to website headhunters.ru)
• Global Telecoms Business Innovation Awards 2009: Winner in International Consumer Services Innovation category for the MAX 4G mobile device in partnership with Microsoft.
• Global Mobile Awards 2009: Finalist for Best Mobile Television Service category.
• PR Week Awards, 2011: Yota Space winner for Global PR campaign.

Download the Yota case study as a PDF

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