Vonage: Pushing The VoIP Envelope

It’s been a while now since I heard the annoying “whoo-whoo” of Vonage’s TV ads. This is what another VoIP blogger mentioned not too long ago. Vonage at one point was estimated at spending US$20 million per month in advertising. Has it helped them? Probably not. I’m not even looking at their stock price anymore, so no idea what’s happening there. Too indifferent to look, but I really should.

Though instead of wasting money on those stupid TV ads and the once ubiquitous online ads, what they really should have done is approached one or more of the numerous reality shows. They could have provided “life line” calls over Vonage, or V-phones for everyone in the cast - provided they were not on a deserted island or runing around across the world.

For example, the Rockstar Supernova series is now over, but I doubt they would turn down promotional efforts for the next series, no matter which … uh .. washed up band that is. (Some say KISS, others Van Halen - but not the “Van Hagar” lineup.) In fact, as a former member of the KISS Army (fan club), I still have various KISS paraphernalia. I’m sure the million-strong current members of the Army would eat up KISS-styled Vonage V-phones.

Now while some of the print and online Vonage ads are of a bosomy woman with a V-neck cut blouse, wearing a V-phone between her breasts, on a cord, it’s a USB phone. But I have a feeling they’ll have a Wi-Fi version out at some point soon. On the other hand, they are working on a Vonage dual-mode Wi-Fi/ cellular service.

Or they could try for a chauvinistic TV ad like iPhox’s and see if that helps sales.