Customers paid cash to put 63336 in their phone

26 April 2007

AQA took centre stage at world famous Leicester Square to give away £1 to any member of the public that put 63336 into their mobile phone.

The give-away was part of the "Remember 63336" series of events, designed to encourage members of the public to store the 63336 number in their mobile phone. Although a simple concept, the public were initially incredulous that anyone would give away money without a catch. We patiently explained that all we wanted to do was get them to save 63336 in their phone.

After half an hour in the square, AQA began to meet some people who'd turned up especially for the event, and with some existing customers bringing their friends. After half an hour 150 happy phone users had put 63336 in their phone.

Sian and Alex were extremely happy to meet AQA "What a wonderful idea, that's a great service, we could use it when we're trying to find film locations." Louise from Richmond had previously used AQA to find out 'who killed bouncer', but her mate Jamie from Brighton had yet to use it "I'll use the £1 to pay for my first question".

As more people stopped work for lunch, crowds began to grow. Initially a member of a group would come over and check AQA out, then after showing their £1 coin to their mates everyone else would come over. Shortly after the building crew put down tools to see what the fuss was about, the local Hare Krishna practitioners came over, mobile phones appearing from their satchels as they claimed their £1, but they did ask for a dance.

Gabor and friends found it easy to get £1, some of them had already been using AQA for 2 years. "It's a really great, entertaining service, and so nice to meet some of the people behind it."

By the end of the two hours AQA had managed to get 500 customers to save 63336 in their phone, rewarding existing and new customers and leaving them with a clear message, whatever they do, Remember 63336.

AQA Facts about Leicester Square

• A square gradually grew up on the spot around the Sydney family house (belonging to the Earl of Leicester), and was completed in 1671.
• The cockney rhyming slang for Leicester Square has been modernised to 'Euan Blair' after the son of the current British Prime Minister Tony Blair was found drunk in the square in 2000.
• The shortest distance on the Underground tube is between Leicester Square and Charing Cross stations, less than 1/5 of a mile.