Red Pocket Mobile Is Airing TV Ads

Red Pocket Mobile is airing an ad on TV. And it isn't just one TV ad. Wave7 Research noted in its most recent prepaid report that the MVNO launched four separate TV ads in July. Red Pocket Mobile has little to no prior major TV advertising history.

The ads are also presumably airing through digital media. They are all available to watch on Red Pocket's YouTube channel where they have been racking up views despite the channel only having a limited number of subscribers. Red Pocket was founded in 2006, so it's taken a long way to get to this point.

Red Pocket's "Cut Your Big Wireless Carrier" Commercial

Of all the commercials that Red Pocket is airing, one entitled "Cut Your Big Wireless Carrier," seems to be getting the most play. The 30-second clip features a person mentioning that they are a cord cutter. The individual then tells viewers that "it's time for the next switch by ditching your big wireless carrier." Viewers are told they can keep their same phones, numbers, and networks without the "useless bundles and celebrity ads that jack their wireless bills up."

"Avoid The Bundle Bag" Ad

This ad, entitled "Avoid The Bundle Bag," starts off with a carrier employee seemingly disgruntled by long big carrier customer service wait times. The employee then unhappily sells big carrier wireless service with a bundle to a customer. The bundle is ultimately just a bunch of junk the employee just removed from his desk. The worker goes on to tell the customer "I know $100/month sounds like a lot, but this bundle is going to blow your mind." The customer removes from the bundle bag a CD that was presumably burned by the store employee and contains a mix of " Slow Jams." The ad finishes by telling viewers that Red Pocket Mobile provides you with the same coverage you already have on the same phone "without the useless junk that jacks up your bill."

"Get More From Your Wireless Carrier" Ad

This ad is pretty similar to the one just described. It too starts off with a big wireless carrier employee. But the employee seems to be enjoying the long customer wait time he forces on his store customer and is unhappy when the time comes when he has to address the customer. The employee, unfortunately, has to apologize to the customer telling them their phone won't work on the network and it's "too bad, our bundle plan starts at only a hundo a month." Viewers are then told they can switch to Red Pocket and get the same coverage with the same phone they love without having to pay for overages or add-ons that jack up their bill.

"Keep Your Coverage" Ad

The last ad is a bit more tame. It simply tells viewers when they switch to Red Pocket they can keep the same phone they already have, and use it with whichever big carrier network they'd like. The audience is told plans start at $10/month and they can save up to $600 a year by making the switch.

It's interesting that Red Pocket is pointing out the extra bundles that carriers and even some MVNOs are now trying to include with their plans. Rather than offer new, cheaper, and innovative wireless service features, many are trying to offer perks unrelated to wireless.

"Free" streaming media service subscriptions to Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max or Apple TV+ seem to be the bundle norms now included with major carrier plans. Of course not everyone needs or wants those things, but customers are still ultimately left paying for them with their comparatively higher-priced wireless plans.

With its new TV ads, Red Pocket Mobile joins only a small number of independently owned MVNOs that also periodically show ads on TV. Mint Mobile, PureTalk, TextNow, and Consumer Cellular represent a handful of the others.

Red Pocket SIM cards and plans are available for purchase in Target stores and online, and are also available online through the Red Pocket Mobile website. The MVNO also offers some plans sold exclusively through eBay.

“Red Pocket is ambitious, as evidenced by its launch of TV ads, its acquisition of other MVNOs, and its arrangement with eBay.” -- Jeff Moore, Principal of Wave7 Research