The initiative, based on the globally successful marketing style pioneered by computer firm Dell, aims to cut out customer acquisition costs by removing reseller fees. It also provides an additional channel to market to capture new users.
3 has appointed Personal, the direct marketing agency within the WCRS group, to handle the launch. It will develop a range of promotional marketing material including press ads, which will run in publications including The Sun and The Guardian newspapers.
The activity is designed to raise awareness of the service and provide a call-to-action through attractive "off-the-page offers" on mobile packages.
The opening of a more cost-effective channel is important for 3 because in the past it has been criticised for driving customer growth at huge expense.
Industry experts claim that every pre-pay customer acquired by 3 costs the operator 拢200 and, according to some reports, each contract customer, as much as 拢800.
In 2004 the company posted an average revenue per user figure of slightly more than 拢40, and announced it has just passed the milestone figure of 3m customers in the UK.
Last year, T-Mobile undertook a fundamental restructure of its business operation to boost its direct selling capability, and O2 has long been a pioneer in this area. Both these operators have a strong focus on using the internet for marketing to consumers and as a sales channel. 3, however, has no current plans to provide the service over the internet.
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