It is almost a brand in the country that do not have a social media strategy these days - but it is the one who took things to a whole new level and truly launched itself as a social enterprise. Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) giffgaff operated entirely online and at its own customers - and its business model offers a fascinating insight into how social media can not simply be a part of the business strategy of a brand in the coming years - it could be all. Tom Rainsford, director of brand and suggestions on giffgaff will speak at our Summit branding digital in November.

The company, owned by O2, but operates as an independent company, was only fully operational mode for a year but has already received impressive recognition. In March, ranked number four in the creek Head giffgaff is "name Brand 100 Report" - only surpassed by Dell, Nike and Starbucks and let all the other more established brands mobile choked with dust in its wake.

So how is this little fish swimming so strongly in the social gap media, when so many other brands are still in a flap over how best to use the media?

giffgaff (the name is an old term Scottish slang refers to the process of reciprocal exchange) works this way - of his customers are his staff. This is a pay-as-you-go MVNO which means that your network is grafted out O2S - in other words, customers with a SIM card giffgaff still connect to the O2 network. But - and this unwise - because the business is purely online, and due to his army of workers are paying their own customers, lower costs that can be sent updated offers - and more customers to encourage their friends to join giffgaff buffer can earn points to become cash or credit. Customers can also earn points of support offered technical redemption others in their community.

"Model Giffgaff is an economic one, we do not use any telephone service centers, unlike other mobile operators," said Rainsford. "The only way to get our products are in line and our customer service model is completely different from the traditional one, which will deliver to our customers. This reduces the overall cost of doing business and save money to transform in prizes for our customers. " Brand is not the retail store, and spend a little 'of paid advertising.

Its price bundles called "goodybags' price beams that are truly unlimited and can be purchased both by giffgaff is a website or through Facebook, where she was a thriving community again 40000.

Apparently this is a business model that can not work without customers, so that the mark has been to build this before starting the actual product - a complete reversal of the fact that most companies approach social the media. To do this, in 2009 launched giffgaff quirky marketing for students, "because we knew that the public is receptive to mobile phones and online participation," said Rainsford. Giffgaff created a set of tools - from comedy to satisfy gimp (yes, really), and "poo-handler Superheros costume" (yes, while in reality), where students can rent, clothing, and then make a video for their heroic deeds be downloaded onto your clothes You Tube.

Video artists won SIM card which gave them free calls and texts in one year. The campaign was well received by a new brand - more than 300,000 people flocked to see the stupid YouTube clips during the six weeks of the campaign period. To do a real buzz in the community were members that have joined to participate before the official launch entitled "founders" - and thus cement a deep and enduring relationship with the brand.

These are the founders who were to form a good supply giffgaff customer service today.

"Our customers, known as giffgaffers, there is more information on mobile phones than I ever," admits Rainsford. "Their knowledge is scary! As a result, has never been a problem that we are able to provide a service to the customer. When someone writes a query to one of our forums, has been an average of 90 seconds. I challenge someone to play customer service, and the rest of the network to get an answer as soon as this ".

It's not just technical support, customers are pleased to offer giffgaff offers is even better - thoughts on board on his site has had more than 3,000 ideas posted on it since the beginning and over 200 of them have been implemented. "We are having conversations with customers, frankly, that most companies only take place behind closed doors," said Rainsford.

"One idea we looked, it was suggested by our customers we offer a package price £ 20. They went and market research for us. In a discussion group you'll just get people to say "give me free stuff" - but we have had conversations with our customers for profitability and profit margins - they have really bought into flames.

"We have people going up and down the M4 the signal strength test. One of the members has also personally connected to more than 1,000 people to us, which is phenomenal," he adds. "Another has earned £ 3,300 in cash from us."

Rainsford would emphasize that the model is not giffgaff "donations" from customers - whether they pay money for the hard work you put in. It is not in foreign currency to customers, either - there is also the transmission of knowledge. For example, an awareness campaign focuses on the current choke common mistake is illegal to unlock your phone. Your launched its own "unlockapedia '- a destination authorized on the details of the combined release.

The Company Ethos is very clear, and honest to the point - their slogan is "The mobile phone network, managed by you once giffgaff created its official campaign launch in May 2010, a headline enemy company -. Networks, people would go from - and personified as a man.

"The man was a sort of counter-culture term for authority in general antipathy -. fat cats company [that sounded good] following the credit crisis that was about positioning giffgaff as freethinkers and people happy to do some work themselves to get a better deal, "said Glyn Britton, a partner at Albion strategy, working with gifgaff in their campaigns.

As the brand is going from strength to strength, it is clear that giffgaff hit in a truly social business model, unique in the fact that social media has never been a shot in the marketing strategy - which was the first thought .

"A lot of [new] Stick social affairs at the top - they know what products you are about to begin, what are their strategies and above all the comms line strategy will be, and then think." Oh, what shall we do on Facebook or Twitter "social integration in all activities.

"And our message to customers is that if you do not like the status quo, if you want a fire to do things differently, and you want to help be a part of what you can." Giffgaff