Virgin Mobile pushes free airtime with 'bendy babe' viral

LONDON - Virgin Mobile is promoting its free airtime deal with a viral campaign starring a bendy woman who fails to understand the 'flash-it' policy.

Virgin Mobile users can get 拢1 free airtime for every 拢10 they spend on music, DVDs and videos in Virgin Megastores, providing they show the cashier their mobile telephone. However, the misunderstands this, and ends up landing on the sales counter, legs akimbo, with the cashier not knowing quite where to look. It ends with the line, "No. Just show us your phone for free time".

The film was created by Virgin Mobile's advertising agency Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R, with the seeding and planning by DMC. A second execution, called "deep throat", shows a man swallowing a coat hanger in front of the same cashier. It will be launched on October 17.

James Kydd, brand director for Virgin Mobile, said: "The Flash-It promotion has been running for several months and is proving such a success that we've decided to give it further support. We're using DMC's online viral marketing expertise again to widen awareness of the promotion with this booster viral campaign targeted at the culture-driving, technology-savvy online audience."

It is not the first time that Virgin Mobile has turned to viral marketing. It released an internet-only version of an advertising campaign set in a mental home, featuring a scene of a "mangina", where one of the male inmates tucks his most delicate parts between his legs.

The Flash-It viral is aimed at 16- to 24-year-olds and will direct users to the Virgin Mobile site, where they can learn more about the offer.

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