Plusnet Blows its Own Trumpet in new TV Campaign

SHEFFIELD, England, August 1, 2011 -

Plusnet, the Yorkshire-based ISP, has announced it will return with a new TV advertising campaign in August.

To celebrate Yorkshire Day, the Sheffield-based home broadband provider will debut the first 30-second commercial during the ad-break of “Emmerdale” (ITV1) on Monday 1st August at approx. 19.15hrs. The campaign, planned and bought by Maxus, will again make use of Yorkshire values and will feature a straight-talking character named Joe.  The new advert will also introduce Joe’s Dad who will enter the public’s TV consciousness on a ride-on lawn mower.

The campaign, which will run throughout the remainder of 2011, will promote the UK-based, 24/7 customer support from the broadband provider.  With call centre support based entirely in the UK, Plusnet is one of few broadband and phone companies where all advisors are technically trained and do not work from scripts - a point of reverence that has seen Plusnet already pick up six awards and be highly commended 13 times across the industry for its product and services in 2011*. Later in the month, Plusnet will air a second advert in which audiences will be treated to a rendition of Kaiser Chiefs’ “Ruby” played by the Plusnet Brass Band. This 40-second commercial will run for four weeks promoting Plusnet’s great value.

Nick Rawlings, Commercial Director at Plusnet said: “We’ve always been proud of our Sheffield roots. Our customer feedback suggests the 24/7 availability of our UK operations is popular so, we wanted to convey our local and friendly approach in the new campaign.”

Shot on location in Ilkley and Ripon, the adverts have been created by Karmarama ad agency and directed by film and TV director, Steve Bendelack, whose work includes “The Royle Family”, “The League of Gentlemen”, “Little Britain” and “Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)”.  Both Karmarama and Steve worked together when Plusnet made its TV advertising debut in 2010.

Sam Walker, the creative lead on the campaign at Karmarama said: “We have developed an ad that would best exemplify Plusnet’s key differential - a UK call centre that is free to call, from a landline, at any time.

“We chose to use a local theme and convey the emotional benefits of helpfulness and community that stem from this whilst keeping the character of Joe and the sense of Yorkshire we had created in our previous advertising.  We have introduced his Dad after he worked well in radio executions back in the spring.”

Notes to Editors

*Several accolades in the 2011 uSwitch Broadband Satisfaction Survey including: “Best Overall Customer Satisfaction”, “Most Likely to be Recommended”, “Best Customer Service”, and “Best Quality of Connection”. The company was awarded the JD Power award for “Best Fixed ISP” and “Best Budget Broadband” at the Broadband Genie Home Broadband Awards 2011 & Broadband Choices 2011 “Highly Commended” all providers quality and reliability.

About Plusnet:

Back in 1997 Plusnet was born. Its plan was simple; to think and act differently from other providers and save the customer money. That’s not changed since the day it launched. More than a decade later Plusnet is still providing great value broadband and phone packages from its HQ in Yorkshire. 

Plusnet’s customers and industry professionals think it supports them so well that the company has been given a stack of awards to prove it.  Plusnet was especially proud to have won “Best Overall Customer Satisfaction” in the 2011 uSwitch Broadband Satisfaction Survey.

Plusnet always takes pride in having a great relationship with its customers, offering great broadband customer service.  It believes it’s only fair to talk openly and honestly with them, help fix problems and talk about pretty much anything related to broadband over on its Community site, blogs and forums. Plusnet customers also get generous rewards for telling their friends about the company.

PR Contact:
Laura Mottram
Head of PR
2 Tenter Street
Sheffield
S1 4BT
+44(0)870-705-8055
www.plus.net

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