Too Many Ads, Too Little Impact: Rethinking MVNO Marketing in 2025

In 1990, most marketing in telecommunications was done in-person, in-print, and in-store; the strongest brands had the strongest physical presence in the world. Over the next decade or so, the internet began to gain popularity, and the pendulum began a slow and steady swing towards digital marketing, with in-person and print advertising eventually falling into place as supplementary channels. Through the 2010s, digital marketing continued to garner larger and larger portions of mobile service provider marketing budgets. 2020 marked an inflection point when digital marketing surged like never before as consumers found themselves spending more time on screens during the pandemic.

Today, we live in a hyper-digitalized world. The average modern American sees 3,000-5,000 digital ads per day, and evidence suggests that they only notice about 100 of them. (If your Meta campaign isn’t performing as well as you want it to, these stats may explain why.)

So, where do we go from here? Is the pendulum set to swing the other way? Have we reached the saturation point of digital marketing? If the average American notices a mere 2-3% of the digital ads they see on a daily basis, is this the best use of the majority of our marketing dollars? Is this really how we stand out?

In my experience, consumers are hungry to interact with brands in-person. I believe it is the MVNOs that find a way to make an impact through human connection that customers will remember when their head hits the pillow at the end of the day.

Of course, the MVNO customer’s experience is inherently digital. In an era shaped by e-commerce, in-app activations, and eSIM technology, there is no doubt a strong digital presence is essential. MVNOs must engage in digital marketing, supported by active social media and well-crafted digital assets.

But – Perhaps it is time to think differently about how we can create a brand that has an impact on customers and is interesting enough to generate word-of-mouth referrals. Here are some considerations if you’re ready to expand your go-to-market strategy into in-person channels.

The Nuts & Bolts

In-person marketing is a different ballgame than digital advertising. To run a successful event, you’ll need the workforce to staff it, physical marketing materials, and a solid concept for the experience. If you’re going to invest in putting your mobile brand in front of customers in real life, come up with a physical manifestation of who you are as a company. Consider: What do you want the customer to see? What do you want the customer to do? How do you want the customer to feel walking away from your set-up?

Where to Start

I’m a major advocate for becoming a big fish in a small pond before entering “larger waters.” With that in mind, I recommend you choose one market to focus your efforts. Attention to detail will go a long way, and having a more frequent physical presence in a market (as opposed to one-and-done events) will help customers get to know your brand over time. Of course, once your process is in place and you have created a “buzz” in your pilot market (which should translate to a lower CAC there than elsewhere), you can repeat in other locations.

Types of Events to Consider

Consider participating in and/or sponsoring the following types of events:

• Community Events: Set up at street festivals, races, holiday parades, fundraisers, etc. Choose anything the community can rally around.
• Trade Shows: These may be more beneficial if you provide a B2B service, but the right trade show can generate a great deal of high value leads in a short amount of time.
• Farmer’s Markets: Grab a booth at a high-traffic weekly neighborhood market. The consistency of these is an upside, as you can have the same stall every week and get to know the regular attendees.
• Sporting Events & Concerts: Bigger is not always better here. It may be the local team game or a concert in the park that allows you to connect with more people than a larger and more hectic event.

How to Make a Real Impact

With attention spans shorter than ever and options for mobile service more abundant than ever, consider unconventional ways to capture consumers’ attention. Think: spin-to-win wheels, mini-games, photo booths, free snack or beverage giveaways, challenges, etc.

Not to be underestimated is the power of educating your in-person team about the mission behind the brand. Getting staff on board and excited about the impact that you can have on customers is a requirement for them to become successful advocates for your MVNO. Remember, they are the ones facilitating that all-powerful human to human connection.

Don’t Forget Your Funnels

When orchestrating an in-person event, focus will naturally be on the logistics mentioned above: the market, materials, messaging, staffing, training, and method of capturing attention. Because of this, it’s all too common that these elements are done exceptionally well, but the experience after lead capture is forgotten. In the same way your brand has funnels set up to support your digital marketing efforts, they should also be set up to support your in-person lead capture. Consider carefully what you hope the customer sees and does after interacting with your brand. This is the intersection between the in-person and digital arenas!   

—

Moving forward, both digital and in-person channels will be important, but I think the pendulum has reached its digital peak and begun its return. In a market flooded with thousands of forgettable digital ads, consumers are craving authentic, real-world interactions, and the brands that embrace this shift have the opportunity to rise above the noise. The MVNOs that show up intentionally and consistently will be the ones we remember.