Virgin Mobile USA ties Sugar Mama to Facebook

Virgin Mobile USA Inc. expanded its Sugar Mama program with a new application for Facebook users.
The mobile virtual network operator unveiled “Fund My Phone,” a feature that allows users to earn up to 75 minutes of calling time per month by viewing pitches and answering questions. Facebook members can add the application to their profiles and earn airtime also by completing online surveys, responding to branded text messages or forwarding Sugar Mama spots to friends.
The offering includes an Amway-type element, awarding minutes to members whose friends watch the forwarded spots and creating “peer endorsed” exposure.
“Developing a special Facebook application was a natural next step for us,” said Bob Stohrer, Virgin Mobile USA’s CMO. “This interaction among Facebook users mirrors the strong community among Virgin Mobile USA customers. . And Fund My Phone also offers a powerful vehicle for Virgin Mobile USA’s brand partners to reach audiences beyond our customer base.”
More than 700,000 of Virgin Mobile USA’s five million customers have signed up for Sugar Mama, according to the MVNO, racking up 26 million minutes of free airtime. The offering launched three years ago with advertisers including Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox, PepsiCo and Truth, a youth anti-smoking campaign run by the American Legacy Foundation.