Freeserve Launches No Risk Broadband Promotion
Freeserve is launching an integrated cross media advertising campaign to raise awareness of its new broadband promotion.
The ‘no risk trial’ will see Freeserve offer users the chance to try its broadband service for a month and get their money back if they decide not to commit to a regular subscription. The deal also includes a free broadband modem and connection.
The promotion launches today to coincide with Freeserve’s fifth birthday and will be supported by an integrated press, radio and online advertising campaign.
Commenting on the initiative, Freeserve’s managing director, Keith Hawkins, said: “We have found from research that what prevents new users from signing up to broadband is the great unknown. They are afraid to commit to broadband without having trialled the product first. Our new offer allows them to do just that.”
Freeserve has also today confirmed that it will not renew its narrowband marketing agreement with electrical retailer, Dixons, when it expires next February. The internet service provider (ISP) claims the new terms proposed by Dixons would hamper its goal of reaching profitability in 2004.
Over recent years Freeserve has steadily been reducing its reliance on Dixons for customer sign-ups and has secured deals with new partners such as Orange, Littlewoods and Texaco. The ISP has also been expanding its acquisition through other channels including online, which accounted for nearly a third of its new subscribers in the first quarter of this year.
Freeserve’s separate agreement with Dixons for broadband distribution remains unaffected and will continue through the mid-February 2005.
Eric Abensur, Wanadoo UK director and CEO of Freeserve said: “We have been prepared for the possibility of a non-renewal of the Dixons contract for some time. Over the past two years a major part of our efforts have focused on diversifying our distribution channels across the UK, both offline and online.”
Last month rival ISP, AOL, secured an agreement with RealNetworks to provide its broadband members with video content from the latest series of Pop Idol, in a bid to boost uptake of its high-speed internet service (see AOL Hopes To Boost Broadband With Pop Idol).
Freeserve: 0845 070 0066 www.freeserve.co.uk
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