The Number UK's 118 118 service has achieved notoriety through a campaign by WCRS featuring two moustachioed marathon runners.
According to a MORI poll conducted on behalf of Oftel, 59 per cent of people questioned were aware of 118 118, and 10 per cent of this number had used the service. The Irish company Conduit came in second with an awareness rate of 39 per cent. Of those who knew of its 11 88 88 service, 4 per cent admitted using it.
The poll revealed BT was trailing the leading services by some distance.
Ten per cent of people questioned by MORI were aware of its 118 500 service, with only 1 per cent of these admitting to using it.
The results largely correlated with media spend figures. According to Nielsen Media Research, The Number spent more than £14 million advertising 118 118 from January to September this year.
Conduit spent just under £13 million marketing 11 88 88, with a TV-dominated campaign from Partners BDDH. Conduit spent £10.4 million on TV advertising this year, while The Number spread its adspend across media: £8 million to TV, with the rest going on radio, press and outdoor.
