Well, who ever could have predicted this? Rentokil have announced that they are to jump on the current MVNO bandwagon and test launch their own Mobile Virtual Network Operator concept in the UK and roll it out globally if the results are promising.
Yes, that’s right. The same Rentokil that run a pest control to “hygiene management” conglomerate.
As we all know, MVNOs normally focus on tight niche markets (actually usually the same tight niches) and Renokil’s concept is no exception. However, playing to their brand strengths, a spokesperson said:
“Awareness and trust of the Rentokil brand is incredibly high. Our research has showed that people are increasingly concerned about their phone’s hygiene and rightly so. Mobiles are shared more and more, especially in youth groups and it’s just too easy to pass round germs, bacteria and other potentially disease ridden material. The average mobile has 27 potentially illness inducing bacteria and 21% carry traces of urine and/or faecal material.”
Errr…I think I want one. Maybe it’s not actually so surprising, as we’ve seen recently claims of high mobile usage in the bathroom.
But that’s not all. The Rentokil phone will be guaranteed virus free. We’ve written before at MobHappy that the current scaremongering about mobile phone viruses is just empty posturing by virus protection companies. However, that’s going to change at some point and they’ll become just as dangerous as their computer cousins. Rentokil seem so confident that their phones are protected that they’ve promised GBP 1,000 ($1,737) to anyone who can produce an infected phone. There’s a challenge for you hackers.
But, you must admit it does have a certain logic to it. We’ve already seen mobile chargers in Korea that sterilise phones, so maybe they’ve stumbled on something. But why on earth didn’t they think about changing the brand name? I just can’t see a groovy 18 year old wanting to be seen with one - no matter how much shit you tell him you’re saving him from.
We’ve been accused of being curmudgeonly lately at MobHappy, so maybe our scepticism is misplaced. So we did a quick sanity check with fellow blogger and mobile evangelist, Russ Beattie. He said:
“What is wrong with you guys? You’re just so negative all the time! This is just fantastic!! Germ and virus protection all in one package! I want one. No, make that two. Jeez, this mobile stuff is so exciting.”
So there you have it. The best thing since soft toilet paper or a good idea, but badly executed?
Leave a comment and have your say.
UPDATE: Yes, this was indeed MobHappy’s April Fool Prank 
[...] And the answer appears to be “No”…the latest company to announce plans to launch an MVNO is Rentokil, the international pest control company. Sure, they’ve got deep pockets, a global presence and good brand equity, but I’m honestly not sure this one is going to work. It’s got some interesting content — reminder alerts of when it’s time to fumigate your home, plague warnings for everything from locusts to rats to badgers, ringtones of the Rentokil jingle and the sound of poison being sprayed and wallpapers of…well…dead things. I’m not sure people are clamoring for such content. Perhaps of more use are the “Pest Profiles” of all the bugs and other creepy crawlies that infect the home, with handy tips of how to combat them. But this could have been done with a WAP site. Still Rentokil thinks it has enough brand equity to have a successful MVNO, and that’s the buzz-word of the day. The company has played to its strengths for the differentiating factor, steering clear of the dangerous “talk for 2c less a minute” territory. “Awareness and trust of the Rentokil brand is incredibly high,” said a spokesperson for the company. “Our research has showed that people are increasingly concerned about their phone’s hygiene and rightly so. Mobiles are shared more and more, especially in youth groups and it’s just too easy to pass round germs, bacteria and other potentially disease ridden material. The average mobile has 27 potentially illness inducing bacteria and 21% carry traces of urine and/or faecal material.” Rentokil’s handsets (made by a Taiwanese OEM) has an anti-bacterial coating. This might actually be an attracting feature for parents worried about the safety of their kids. The phones also come with their own anti-virus software (a Rentokil-branded white label job) that guarantees to keep the handsets free of viruses, worms and other malware. Obviously that’s not going to be strongly tested for a while, but Rentokil has offered a thousand pounds for an example of an infected phone. Not really that much money if it encourages 10,000 hackers to sign up… OK, so it’s innovative and different from other products. I still think it’s going to have a tough time in the marketplace. Ten out of ten for creativity but minus several million for good thinking. No matter the benefits, nobody wants a phone focused on dead bugs. Well, nobody I want to spend much time with, anyway. Of course, if it was iTunes compatible that would be a different story…(via MobHappy) Related stories: –Cool Mobile’s Motorola Relationship Ends –Disney’s $50 Million MVNO Ad Campaign; Hires Agency –More Funding For Amp’d? [...]
And a Happy April Fool’s Day to MobHappy too…
i especially liked the realistic Russ Beattie quote guys, it was like you were channelling the man himself!
[...] MobHappy’s April Fool spoof this year posited that Rentokil were to launch a sterilised and virus free phone and MVNO. Maybe they really should. [...]