1 in 3 Aussies Would Prefer Not to Hear Christmas Carols

Freedom from naff carols? That’s music to my ears!

Instead of giving people a sense of nostalgia for their younger years, it appears that Christmas carols are driving many Aussie shoppers up the wall! New research released today by Virgin Mobile revealed that one in every three Aussies would prefer not to listen to Christmas carols whilst shopping, with one in every six (16.57%) saying that having to listen to Christmas carols is one of the most annoying things about Christmas shopping.

To relieve shoppers from Jingle Bells and help them hold on to their Christmas cheer when shopping, Virgin Mobile has launched Australia’s first headphone loan program as a unique and cheeky way of helping Aussies avoid naff Christmas carols.

Available at selected Virgin Mobile stores in Westfield shopping centres, the headphone loan program allows shoppers to borrow a set of MP3 headphones pre-loaded with tunes from the Telco’s free digital radio station ‘Radio Free by Virgin Mobile’ so they can shop free from naff Christmas carols.

“Christmas shopping is supposed to be fun and festive but it can actually be quite stressful, so we wanted to do something for the one in three Aussies who have been driven up the wall by cringe-worthy carols playing in the shops since November!” explains Virgin Mobile Marketing Director, David Scribner.

“Our headphone loan program is a tongue-in-cheek way to ensure that everyone can go about their shopping with a spring in their step and some great music in their ears for the rest of the festive season!”

The headphones feature up to two hours of the most popular songs around via Radio Free by Virgin Mobile. Radio Free by Virgin Mobile plays music ‘for the people, by the people’, letting listeners vote for their favourite music and then broadcasting the most popular songs.

The headphones on the loan program feature a set Radio Free by Virgin Mobile playlist, however the free digital radio station can be streamed live either online (www.radiofree.com.au) or on your mobile (via a free iPhone app).