RIP, Amp'd Mobile
Amp'd Mobile, which had $360 million in VC funding behind it, will shut down its US based service on the 31st, but any chance of customer service is already gone. Customers were informed of an impeding possible shutoff date of the 24th via text message sent on the 22nd. Rumors say part of the problem was rooted in the heavy marketing to (and subsequent recruiting of) people with low credit ratings, who subsequently had problems paying their bills averaging over $100 a month. Their carrier, Verizon, is probably contemplating shoving bamboo splints under their fingernails by now for lack of payment.
Amp'd Mobile will probably be best remembered among us righteously indignant types for the tortured naked cafeteria worker in the video they put on their sponsored community of Lil' Bush, a series which netted their chief marketing officer an award from Advertising Age’s Entertainment as a Marketer of the Year in 2007 and has since moved over to the tepid womb of the Comedy Channel to spawn out more banal political humor.
Amp'd Mobile will also be remembered for their sleazy ads hinting at questionable hookups. Amp'd Mobile sponsored TxtLJ, provoking the first discussion/flaming of whether or not branding the service counted as advertising to paid users alongside issues of sponsored communities. In this situation, the paid users won a reprieve. Amp'd Mobile never looked like they knew what the heck to do with a sponsored community, but they tried their best despite their cluelessness, bless their edgy lil' hearts.
For LJ's advertising, Amp'd Mobile was probably akin to a dream, as it looks like they were willing to burn through marketing cash without much concern about the return. Rest in hipstery peace, Amp'd.
Amp'd Mobile will probably be best remembered among us righteously indignant types for the tortured naked cafeteria worker in the video they put on their sponsored community of Lil' Bush, a series which netted their chief marketing officer an award from Advertising Age’s Entertainment as a Marketer of the Year in 2007 and has since moved over to the tepid womb of the Comedy Channel to spawn out more banal political humor.
Amp'd Mobile will also be remembered for their sleazy ads hinting at questionable hookups. Amp'd Mobile sponsored TxtLJ, provoking the first discussion/flaming of whether or not branding the service counted as advertising to paid users alongside issues of sponsored communities. In this situation, the paid users won a reprieve. Amp'd Mobile never looked like they knew what the heck to do with a sponsored community, but they tried their best despite their cluelessness, bless their edgy lil' hearts.
For LJ's advertising, Amp'd Mobile was probably akin to a dream, as it looks like they were willing to burn through marketing cash without much concern about the return. Rest in hipstery peace, Amp'd.