I saw in Revolution magazine that Orange and Bebo have recently signed an exclusive agreement to bring mobile social networking (or chatting to mates as it also known as) to Orange customers.
For many this might seem to make a lot of sense. Bebo is big and growing, so this is a great deal for them. For Bebo users, the mobile element will be a positive addition.
However, two issues bother me about this deal.
Firstly, why are both parties entering into an exclusive deal? Bebo users might feel shoehorned into using Orange when they prefer other mobile players. Similarly for Orange customers who would prefer alternatives to Bebo. Exclusivity brings benefits to the Brand partners, but where is the benefit to their customers?
Secondly, Orange like many other mobile operators, have invested heavily into offering music services for their customers. Yet in the world of those kids who create distribute and consume music with their phones, myspace is the social network of choice, not Bebo. Having spoken to a number of young people about music as a bond amongst their community of friends, no-one mentions social networking, they all mention myspace. It is their tool for social networking, not Bebo. Maybe Orange is going for a different profile of people with Bebo, but rest assured on the music front, they are seeming to be missing out considerably.
POST SCRIPT: Are there examples of exclusive Brand Partnerships that have benefited the customer in ways that a non-exclusive deal would not have done?