Globe & Mail newspaper goes Mobile

“By launching multiple apps on different platforms, we're trying to reach new and existing readers wherever they might be, and also learn about the strengths and weaknesses of each platform,” said Matthew Ingram, communities editor at The Globe and Mail, Toronto, Canada.“We're trying to reach younger readers and users as well as digital influencers – those who are most likely to try new devices,” he said.

The Globe and Mail application is available to download for free from the Apple App Store, the BlackBerry App World and soon, the Palm Pre App Catalogue.

“Mobile platforms are a way to reach readers quickly and easily when a news event occurs, since most people have their mobile device with them wherever they are,” Mr. Ingram said.

“One of the big potential benefits of mobile news is the ability to allow readers to provide valuable feedback and content through comments, reader-submitted photos and videos and etcetera – something we hope to incorporate in all of the apps soon,” he said. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/ic7Cw

For more information contact mike@zipstripe.com

Network TV using Mobile for Roundtrips

Television networks are increasingly turning to the mobile channel to drive audiences back to the TV screen for the debut of the fall season entertainment line-up.

Networks are launching official iPhone applications as well as mobile sites. Additionally, text alerts are being used to remind viewers their favorite shows are returning.

CBS uses mobile video. Recaps, previews and behind-the-scenes videos see the most traction for CBS.

“Your phone is arguably the most personal device you own,” said Paul Scanlan, president of MobiTV," Emeryville, CA. “As better devices and better content continue to drive mobile TV growth, networks and advertisers have an opportunity to reach an ever-increasing audience in new and more personal ways." Features like interactivity and immediate calls-to-action unique to mobile TV offer the consumer an enriched viewing experience.

“[The experience is] something networks can capitalize on, especially for big events like season premieres," he said. "In fact, earlier this year, Showtime debuted the season premieres for three of their most popular programs on MobiTV in advance of the television airing.” Users can sign up on CBS.com to receive alerts about CBS programming from How I Met Your Mother to CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. In addition, SMS alert sign-ups exist on each of the show homepages on CBS.com. The network’s reality hit, Big Brother, uses mobile weekly. Viewers vote every week and have an impact on the show’s outcome. mobile marketing is going to become more personal and interactive in the future. He cited new applications and said they are a new generation and provide more interactivity.

“[Mobile is] a great medium,” he said. “Large percentages [of people] carry mobile devices with them. With mobile we can do things in real time and push alerts are very powerful. You may not even be thinking about CSI and then we can send an alert with something relevant to the show. “Devices are always connected and more interactivity means they’re always engaging.” From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/z1Zvy

For more information contact mike@zipstripe.com

Jaguar Sinks Teeth into MobileAds

Jaguar is promoting its XF car model with mobile banner ads within ESPN’s Fantasy Football 2009 Draft Kit iPhone application.Banner ads are running at the bottom of the iPhone application's screen. The ESPN application is the latest component of the sports network's overall multichannel portfolio and the company’s mobile strategy will only grow in importance going forward.

Consumers that click on the Jaquar XF banner ads are routed to a landing page where they are asked to enter their email address to receive a free brochure about the XF. Upon entering their email address, consumers are opting-in for future marketing communications from Jaguar.

Since 72 percent of iPhone users are male, Jaguar realized the potential of reaching out to consumers via the device. Additionally, ESPN’s application users are likely to skew male as well. There is a world of opportunity in mobile for luxury brands like Jaguar, as the automaker is focused on appealing to consumers on an individual level.

Jaguar has invested heavily to create and maintain its brand and mobile is about accessibility and personal attachment. The carmaker realized that luxury brands need to use mobile to reach their target consumer. It is a natural fit. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/NSlKP

For more information contact Andrew at damico@zipstripe.com

Churches use SMS to engage congregations nationwide

Christian churches nationwide are using text messaging to engage and communicate with their congregations. "Direct and to the point, the church's influence can extend beyond Sunday morning.

“Different churches do different things—they may ask questions about various topics with SMS surveys or polls, or run a scripture challenge using alert groups,” she said. “A high school ministry can send a scripture verse every day to give them something to think about and encourage them to pray every day. Questions are moderated and can be displayed on side-screens, a teleprompter or the facilitator’s mobile phone.

“Different ministries are trying different things such as live events on the weekends, where the audience members can text in questions while the pastor is teaching,” Ms. Baldwin said. “It’s changed the way they run their services so Q&A is incorporated, and the pastor can address those to the entire congregation,” she said.

“It’s great for people giving them a safe place to ask questions that they wouldn’t feel comfortable doing otherwise.”

The concept of writing prayer requests on a card at church and putting it into a box has evolved into texting in prayer requests at any time of day or night. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/Nsk6z

For more information contact teresa@zipstripe.com

ESPN - Mobile is their media "Glue"

ESPN digital media executives stressed that mobile is a key component of the sports network's overall multichannel portfolio of products and services and will only grow in importance going forward.

Given that ESPN operates in every channel one can think of -- television, print, online, radio and mobile -- the executives praised SMS in particular for connecting all of the various media and making them interactive. ESPN claims that it has the most-trafficked sports mobile Web site, the most-downloaded sports application for iPhone and the No. 1 sports SMS alerts service, as well as a growing amount of mobile video coverage.

"Mobile is the glue for everything we do," said Oke Okaro, vice president of ESPN Mobile, Bristol, CT. "It's an activation channel, a way to bring people into the fold, let them test the mobile waters and then bring people into more comprehensive platforms such as the mobile Web, applications and live video on the mobile phones... It's important to drive awareness and adoption of our mobile products and services, and integration with our TV programming is a great way to accomplish that," he said. "The X Games had robust mobile messaging campaigns that enabled people attending the events to text information to screens and vote on outcome of events themselves, which saw really good engagement.

"There are two mobile use cases: people looking to complete a specific task such as check a score, and people looking to kill time -- entertainment," he said. "We try to satisfy both." Smartphones drive 70 percent of our mobile Web traffic, with BlackBerry alone representing 40 percent, so it makes sense to bring this all-encompassing experience to BlackBerry devices," Mr. Okaro said. "It features contextual integration of sports data with video and alerts that bring you into the app so you can then consume the latest content.

"We want to use all different channels -- TV, print, online and radio -- and mobile is the glue that sticks everything together and drives engagement," he said. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/E9fud

For more information contact Andrew at damico@zipstripe.com

Actionable Alerts - cover your nsf?

“The various mobile products and services the Bank of Stockton offers Mobile Web, Mobile Text, Mobile Alerts, and in the fall, Actionable Alerts, which enable Bank of Stockton to have a hand-shake with its customers via their handsets

“We send an alert, for example, about insufficient funds, and give the customer the opportunity to respond to the bank with a 'yes' if they want us to transfer funds for them to cover the NSF,”.... “Actionable alerts provide even more value to the customer, since they not only deliver information that the customer wants to know, but allow action to be taken by the bank on their behalf.”

“One reason the Bank of Stockton has been so successful is that they’ve always looked at how to provide better service and improve their communications with customers, engaging customers early on via online banking,” said Joe Salesky, founder, chairman and chief strategy officer of ClairMail, Novato, CA. “They were also one of the earliest banks to embrace mobile.

“It’s an opportunity not just for customers to seek out information via mobile, but for the bank to proactively serve the customers via alerts,” he said. “They put up billboards to promote it, proving they saw mobile as a key channel. “They see the opportunity to deepen and evolve the relationship with their customers over time using mobile.” From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/Nsk6z

For more information contact andrew@zipstripe.com

Future of SMS Marketing

SMS marketing is where Internet marketing was 10 years ago: still in its infancy, but evolving faster than anyone could imagine.

Everyone is texting. It is basically becoming more common than email and regular phone conversations.

Text is the future of communication. It is the backbone of teen and young adult's social lives and will grow with this new generation "Generation TEXT" into their professional lives. Even in daily business, text is how many meetings get scheduled.

Since people probably spend more time texting than watching TV, ads will naturally have to gravitate towards the viewers. We are starting to see that evolution now. More TV commercials are including a text component with text-to-win, viewer feedback and etcetera.

An effective mobile marketing campaign provides critical market research on a mass scale, which is much more effective than the use of focus groups. In addition to market research, mobile is a great way to drive sales while building a one-to-one relationship with the consumer.

Mobile introduces an entirely new relationship with the consumer. In the past it was one message to the masses. Today, using mobile, brands send the message of "How can I build a closer personal relationship with you, Mr. Consumer, and deliver exactly what you desire." From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/11Mk1P

For more information contact mike@zipstripe.com

Levi's & JCPenney going mobile "Tuition" campaign

Levi Strauss & Co. and J. C. Penney Company Inc. have added mobile components to their national “Tuition” campaign to drive consumer participation.

Levi's and JCPenney teamed up with the Today Show iPhone application. Ads within the application encourage consumers to click to enter to win one of two $50,000 college scholarships.

“Levi’s and JCPenney’s national promotion is giving away $50,000 in college tuition, and if you look at the cost of education today, this is offer has tremendous appeal,” said Cindy Spodek Dickey, vice president of marketing at Zumobi, Seattle. The campaign combines mobile, digital, social and traditional media such as events. The mobile aspect lets teens sign up to receive text messages on their mobile phones about back-to-school sales and special offers at JCPenney. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/3fGkc

For more information contact Andrew at damico@zipstripe.com

Theme Park & Chrysler multichannel campaign includes Mobile

Six Flags Theme Parks and Chrysler have teamed up to offer consumers the chance to win a Jeep Wrangler.

Users can enter Six Flags' 2010 Jeep Wrangler Sweepstakes via mobile, the Six Flags Web site, mail or at the theme park itself. The Wrangler is worth over $33,000. Television spots running on Cox Media’s cable network ask consumers to text the keywords WILD or WET to short code 269411 to receive a discount on admission.

Chrysler and Six Flags used the mobile platform in the promotion last year and it’s a key part of Six Flags’ marketing strategy. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/2C6sM8 For more information contact mike@zipstripe.com

Why Mobileweb Use is on the Increase

In the past, before the mobile Web actually worked, people took a break from their [mobile] phones on vacation. These days, the phones are actually kind of fun.

The calls might get sent straight to voice mail, but the browser stays on. And for those workaholics, well, laptops are very uncool on the beach, so the mobile browser saves the day. Appetite for information doesn't go down during vacation for most people, but the nature of their information cravings change in obvious ways. The mobile browser is the most readily available way to get their fix. At home, the mobile was possibly the second choice, but on vacation it is often the only choice.

As people search for things to do and places to go in the summer, like concerts, parties, night clubs and the like, their mobile devices become increasingly important.

Mobile Web browsing provides singular utility, in that once you've found what you're looking for, you can get directions or place a call directly to the location, right from your mobile device.

Brands and marketers can leverage the inherent utility of mobile searches, by delivering mobile Web sites (optimized for mobile screens) and adding offers to their mobile landing pages, which can be redeemed by the end-users performing these searches.

For example, if you're looking for a place to watch the upcoming Mayweather vs. Marquez fight, you'd probably respond favorably to a 2-for-1 drink special offer from a bar broadcasting the fight that night. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/GbMRC

Please contact andrew@zipstripe.com for more information

Pier 1 Imports launches 1st Mobile Effort

Pier 1 Imports is partnering with Barnes & Noble for an SMS sweepstakes as part of its efforts to reach a younger demographic.

The retail giant has deployed in-store mobile calls-to-action — signage next to the prize, a Papasan chair — in 100 Barnes & Noble bookstores near college campuses. Consumers who text in receive a text message confirming their registration in the sweepstakes and asking them to opt-in to receive promotional emails from Pier 1 Imports.

“This was our first time utilizing SMS as a channel, and we’re excited to be out there testing it,” said Jeff Haddox, direct marketing analyst at Pier 1 Imports, Ft. Worth, TX. “SMS made perfect sense for our partnership with Barnes & Noble. “The response rate would’ve been much lower without the direct call-to-action that SMS provides,” he said. “The Papasan chair is a tried-and-true Pier 1 product—it’s the ultimate reading chair—so it was the perfect incentive for the text-to-win campaign, and it fit well because it was sitting in a college bookstore.

“We’re reaching a younger demographic than we at Pier 1 haven’t have, and Barnes & Noble is a great partner that is well-versed in reaching that younger demographic .... We have to speak to a younger demographic in a different way,” he said. “We’re trying to engage them and getting them to come in-store, and there are various ways, including the SMS sweepstakes.” “For several years we’ve been trying to focus on a younger demographic, because Pier 1 customers get older and older every year and they aren’t making as many home purchases as college students and recent college grads,” he said. “Barnes & Noble reaches 6 million students, and we’re taken a fully integrated, layered approach.”

SMS is basically a data-capture vehicle, in that Pier 1 is not opting them into to an SMS program, but rather asking them for their email address. “The goal for the SMS initiative is integration with the email campaign, basically creating a trickle campaign on the back-end,” Mr. Haddox said. “Rather than lumping these college students in with our main marketing campaign, we’re segmenting them and treating them differently.

“College-age students are a tough group to communicate with, because they’re always on the go, and they’re not necessarily seeing our typical marketing vehicles such as direct mail and newspaper inserts,” he said. “We do run online banners and search ads, but we felt that a mobile component great way to reach them — better than traditional marketing vehicles.” From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/2C6sM8

For more information contact Andrew at damico@zipstripe.com

Tennis tournament uses SMS & email to Connect with Fans

“We’re trying to interact with fans on a more intimate level and gauge their interest in participation via SMS during the event,” said Brandon Moore, social media manager for the Indianapolis Tennis Championships.

At the Indianapolis Tennis Championships, tournament officials ran an SMS campaign to drive newsletter signups via text messaging. The call-to-action asks fans to text keywords TENNISINDY SUBSCRIBE NEWS {EMAIL ADDRESS} to short code 88769 to join its biweekly eNewsletter subscriber list. The Indianapolis Tennis Championships has also sought out additional subscribers online and through radio advertisements with an SMS call-to-action. The tournament lets fans opt-in to receive voice-messaging updates and offers from the tournament and athletes.

The most recent technology addition to the tournament is the interactive text-message quizzes featured on the tournament’s Jumbotrons. The large screens featured trivia questions that let fans to reply with an answer via SMS for a chance to win prizes and discounts.

ExactTarget ran an SMS ticket promotion whereby fans could text in a keyword to receive a promotional code to be used at the Indianapolis Tennis Championships’ box office for buy-one-get-one free tickets. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/1EJo4S

For more information contact Andrew at damico@zipstripe.com

Opportunities for Local Merchants in the Mobile Space

The opportunities for local merchants in the mobile search space are huge. “Location-aware devices are changing the order of ‘instant gratification,’” Mr. Dunlap said. “It used to be that buying online was the fastest since you would get it in 24 hours. Now with a location-aware mobile device, you can purchase it near you and have it in your hands within the hour.”

“A store’s physical location is its greatest asset in a location-based world, .... Why buy from Amazon when you can have it in one hour down the street? As long as local merchants are sharing what brands and products they have (so searchers can find them), they will become the ‘instant gratification’ choice. In most cases, they can charge a premium for this since there is no hassle, no shipping, and you can have it now"

“We’ve seen the most success for local merchants by teaming up with magazines,” he said. “For example, we have an iPhone app for Runner’s World that allows you to read reviews and see images of over 100 shoes. If you want to try on a pair, you just tap “find near me” and it finds the closest specialty running store that has your size (these are typically small businesses).

“Runner’s World is great at producing content that inspires people to purchase, but it’s the local merchant who benefits. Note that there is no need for the local merchant to do anything. This is where I suspect you are going to see the biggest benefit for local merchants – media and brands adopting the technology to drive local purchasing.” From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/HURmc

For more information contact mike@zipstripe.com

2,000 Opt-Ins to Pizza Hut Mobile Campaign

Quick-service restaurant Pizza Hut used mobile to generate buzz about its new Hershey’s Dunkers offering and built a mobile database of consumers to remarket to.

Calls to action ran on Cox Media's cable network asking viewers to text the keyword HUT to short code 269411. Consumers who texted in were entered for a chance to win a Pizza Hut pizza, once a month, for a year straight.

“Mobile was a great tool for this client because it offered a great way for the client to connect with their target demographic ... The combination of mobile and the sweepstakes offer of free pizza for a year proved to be an unbeatable combination,” she said. “The results were outstanding, and more than enabled the client to build a vast mobile database which they could use for future marketing.”

Ms. Simmonds said that in just two weeks the campaign has received more than 2,000 opt-ins and 54 percent moved on to double-opt-in.

Pizza Hut has been making a lot of headlines in the mobile space lately. Last month the company created a unique mobile ordering experience for its customers via an application that breaks traditional application boundaries. The fast-food chain launched an iPhone application that lets users order menu items from their phone. The application also serves as a source of entertainment for hungry customers waiting for their food delivery. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/3wUrkx

For information contact Andrew at damico@zipstripe.com

NY Mets launches SMS MLB campaign

The New York Mets have launched an in-stadium mobile campaign, sponsored by Xerox, Wise, Caesar’s and Verizon Wireless, for the 2009 Major League Baseball season and beyond.

The campaigns include a variety of sponsor-driven promotions as a means to engage fans and make the Citi Field experience even more fun and enjoyable. Mobile promotions run at all home games with SMS calls-to-action on the video board offering an opportunity for the fans to interact with the team and its sponsors.

“The Mets had a deal with Xerox, which wanted to be able to do a bunch of interactive mobile concepts to engage fans during the game, and Verizon, Xerox and the Mets agreed to do a cobranded graphic on the video screen,” said Michael Falato, vice president of sales and business development at Txtstation, Austin, TX.

Snack-food giant Wise sponsors the “Eighth-Inning Sing-Along,” with a call-to-action urging fans to vote using their handsets, texting their preferred keyword to a short code to weigh in to decide what song should be played during the 8th-inning break.

Luxury hotel and casino Caesar's Palace sponsors the Mets’ “Fan Forum,” letting fans send in user-generated content via text messages, giving fans the chance to express their take on a pre-determined subject.

“Txt-of-War” is another mobile featurewith an SMS voting format that pits opposing sides against each other. For example, fans have to choose between various keywords in a poll that compares interaction rates—the left side of stadium versus the right side or which state (NY, NJ or CT) has the best fans.

For each of the above promotions, voting results and content are displayed in real time on the video board in high definition, thus providing an interactive atmosphere for fans and brands.

“Participation has been great, and these guys at the Mets know how to activate a campaign, they know how to engage fans,” Mr. Falato said. “They’re getting fans excited the about mobile polls and other text-messaging initiatives we’re doing with them. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/IzGgr

For more information contact Andrew at damico@zipstripe.com

91% Moms Don't Leave the House without their Mobilephone

A report from BabyCenter showed that 91 percent of mothers surveyed say they never leave the house without their mobile phone, meaning the majority of this demographic are dependent on mobile technology to manage their lives. BabyCenter is Johnson & Johnson's, an online resource for parenting supplies and information, which has launched a new iPhone application called "PhonyPhone" to help moms on the go. BabyCenter is an online resource for parents, fostering 78 percent annual reach of online new and expecting mothers and more than 16 million visitors on a monthly basis.

Fifty-five percent of moms today let their children play with their mobile phone regardless of handset model or price, according to “BabyCenter’s 21st Century Mom Report.” With this in mind, BabyCenter came out with the PhonyPhone application, which provides for an educational experience for the child and a mother’s uninhibited ability to let children play on.

“Moms today are using their mobile devices for more than just making phone calls,” said Linda Murray, editor-in-chief of BabyCenter, San Francisco, CA. “The PhonyPhone marries the digital device that moms can’t live without with a child’s never-ending curiosity and delight around handheld gadgets.”

BabyCenter’s first mobile initiative consisted of getting helpful pregnancy tips to one's mobile phone, a program called Booty Caller. Also, BabyCenter created a mobile Web site, which is accessible from any from Web-enabled mobile device. Subscribers receive weekly texts chock full of pregnancy advice. Once the baby arrives, the Parenting Tips service sends new parents helpful parenting tips twice a week till three months.

“As consumers spend more time on the phone, there is great potential to engage them further and create opportunities for advertisers,” Ms. Murray said. “In the developing world there are billions of consumers who own mobile phones but are without Internet connection. “We see mobile as a way to greatly extend our reach to a new audience,” she said. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/cGEgh

For more information contact teresa@zipstripe.com

"Be Humane" campaign launched on iPhone mobile app

The American Humane Association is turning to the iPhone to extend its brand and “Be Humane!” campaign.

American Humane hopes to reach a younger audience with the development of this iPhone application. This is just one of the company's marketing techniques. “The strategy is to get younger audiences excited about American Humane’s mission to create a more human and compassionate world by ending abuse and neglect of children and animals,” said Michael E. Blimes, vice president of development for the American Humane Association. “We hope this exciting iPhone app will enlist and encourage younger potential constituents to spread the word about American Humane’s important work,” Mr. Blimes said.

Once on the application, the user can do a variety of things on the American Humane channel. Users can watch a short video about American Humane, view images of some of the animals and children the organization has helped, send an email to a friend to learn more about the nonprofit, donate to the cause, click-to-call and visit the Web site. Users can also read movie reviews detailing how the animal action was achieved and read the CEO’s blog entries.

“This app will help us with regard to branding,” Mr. Blimes said. “People who don’t clearly understand what American Humane does will now be able to easily get a clear picture of our mission, our work, and the distinctions between American Humane and other, seemingly similar humane organizations.”

“We want to target a new and younger audience with this iPhone app,” Mr. Blimes said. “We hope that this new generation will spread the word through viral marketing, explore our website, potentially donate and ultimately help us to create a more humane and compassionate world.” From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/14cXee

For more information contact mike@zipstripe.com

Using Mobile for Public Transit Ticketing

The U.K. aims to have a plan by the end of this year that lets people use their mobile phones or smart cards to pay for travel across England's public transport system.

The government calculates such a system could save £2.6 billion (US$4.3 billion) per year in cash, convenience and the reduced use of motor vehicles. The smart cards and mobile phones would use near-field communication (NFC) technology, with embedded microchips storing transport credit.

The system would be centered around a technical platform called ITSO, which was created by a nonprofit organization. ITSO is a set of technical standards for integrated smart ticketing, which would allow passengers to use smart cards or their mobile phones for tickets sold by different transport entities. It is an open specification, and any manufacturer can build products that use it.

The system offers many benefits for passengers. Tickets don't have to be purchased in stations, which reduces queues at stations, passengers can board buses and pass through turnstiles faster, and passengers don't have to deal with loose change.

For information contact andrew@zipstripe.com

Ronald McDonald Mobile Charity Donations Fundraiser

The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana used mobile at Macy's Glamorama event to raise money to build the largest Ronald McDonald House in the world. The annual Glamorama fundraiser took place Aug. 21 in Chicago with musical performances and, fashion designers and celebrity appearances all focusing on the main goal of the event—raising money for charity.

To help achieve its fundraising goals goal, RMHC integrated an SMS campaign to let event guests donate to the charitable cause via text messaging. “When people are most inspired they will be able to donate to the worthy charity using the only form of media they have available at that time—their mobile phone.”

“The main strategy behind this campaign is to increase awareness of the Ronald McDonald House Charities and garner donations via a new interactive method to raise money to build the largest Ronald McDonald House in the world," said Jason George, CEO of Telescope Inc., Los Angeles. “Because it is in-venue, mobile offers a direct-response mechanic to engage fans at the event. Once engaged, the participants receive all the information of how to complete their donation online and can opt-in to receive updates and additional information on RMHC-CNI,” he said. "This is a great example of how mobile can be best used alongside other media to drive maximum benefit for the marketing partner.”

During the event, guests were shown a video presentation highlighting the role of Ronald McDonald House in keeping the families of hospitalized children together and the need for the new House. The video concludes with a call-to-action that asks the audience to text their donation amount to the short code 21523. After the audience texted in their pledge amount for the RMHC, they received a reply message confirming the amount and the Ronald McDonald House Charity Web link with instructions on how to complete their donation online. Attendees had the opportunity to opt-in to receive a reminder message from Ronald McDonald House Charities, as well as further information via SMS about upcoming RMHC events. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/3mWBt

For more information contact damico@zipstripe.com

Armani Exchange campaign with 14.5% Interaction Rate

Armani Exchange's first mobile ad campaign to promote its Spring 2009 collection saw an average click-through rate of 1.22 percent and interaction rates as high as 14.5 percent on the mobile site.The banner ads drove more than 48,000 users to the mobile site, more than 36,000 video views and more than 2,600 store locator look-ups.

Armani Exchange is "Accessible Armani" that defines a new dress code with a collection that takes its cue from urban lifestyle and music culture. “Armani Exchange’s target audience is high-income households and tech-savvy 18-49 consumers, a target that aligns extremely well with the iPhone demographic,” said Johanna Werther, product marketing manager at AdMob, San Mateo, CA.

The luxury retailer Exchange tested the mobile waters last summer with a text-to-win campaign. The "A/X $1,000 Shopping Spree Sweepstakes'" call-to-action was printed on the retailer's shopping bag. It asked customers to text the keyword AX to short code 276264 (ARMANI) for a chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree. Consumers who texted in were added to a mobile database and later sent text messages announcing new collection arrivals, exclusive offers, A|X events and mobile downloads. “This was a brand and a mobile experience that consumers found extremely compelling,” Ms. Werther said. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/alJt

For information please contact mike@zipstripe.com

Malls Using Mobile to Drive Traffic

Illinois' Promenade Bolingbrook mall is using the Mallfinder Network's mobile marketing service to help the shopping center and its retailers connect with mobile shoppers. The mall will be targeting mobile shoppers with SMS campaigns and a mobile Web site. Twenty shopping centers managed on behalf of Forest City Enterprises will use Mallfinder's mobile services.

“Mobile is not only the most direct and personal vehicle to engage with shoppers, but it’s also a marketer’s closest proximity to influence shoppers with they’re about to make a purchase decision,” said Lawrence Phipps, senior vice president of marketing and product strategy at Mallfinder Network, Denver. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/17wlYg

More information contact mike@zipstripe.com

Why Mobile for Pre-Christmas?

As the holiday season quickly approaches, marketers need to start their campaign planning. This year may be different than any other in terms of the role that mobile will play. Marketers have quickly come to embrace mobile and all that it offers in terms of a one-to-one communication vehicle. There is no doubt that we will start seeing a shift in how major brands and retailers market for the holidays. In addition, most major brands and retailers have decreased their advertising budgets, and managers will be looking for a more cost-effective and trackable solution in order to justify each dollar spent,” she said.

“In this regard, mobile is the most powerful marketing tool for these brands – it will allow them to place information directly into the hands of consumers, and quickly drive an increase in foot traffic at the point of sale.”

Advertisers have already begun their holiday marketing planning. As with other times of the year and all other campaigns, the key is to know one’s audience. Consumers are increasingly mobile, or on the go, and therefore the best way to reach out to them is on the device that they never leave home without – the mobile phone.

With the economic problems, marketers are looking for ways to save a buck or two, and because mobile is still a fairly new marketing medium the prices are still pretty low. The volume of holiday marketing campaigns makes mobile very attractive to marketers looking to break through the clutter. Marketers that leverage the channel will have a great vehicle to get through to and reach their target audience.

Last year, department store chain JC Pennry launched an integrated marketing campaign and mobile just happened to be one of the components. The campaign highlighted JCPenney's affordable gift assortment and invited customers to celebrate in the joy of giving during the holiday season.

But a new idea Mr. Everett is hearing about is tied into retailers overriding objective to get the customers into their stores first, before they've spent most of their holiday gift budgets. That is why the big chains have Thanksgiving newspaper inserts touting their "DOORBUSTER" promotions saying "doors will open at 5am or 6am" on Black Friday. Sometimes they open as early as midnight on Thursday.

“What we're hearing is that some marketers are considering a second chance promotion where they could now use SMS to inform their database of shoppers that they have a midday price break, say between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., and note some of the bargains on offer,” Mr. Everett said.

“The idea is essentially a mid-day, real-time shout-out to their customer database to get them to abandon their current shopping destination and head over to the SMS store's side of the mall,” he said. “So if they can't get them in the morning, they can still try for half a loaf in the afternoon." From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/6d2tC

For information contact Andrew damico@zipstripe.com

Goodyear SMS campaign sees 5.2 percent CTR

Tire-production giant Goodyear launched a mobile campaign to raise awareness in men, right in time for the winter.

The "Time For Winter Tires" promotional campaign ran in Poland during the last quarter of 2008, from Oct. 13-27. It was coordinated by Upgrade Interactive Marketing and included an SMS campaign and a mobile site. The target was male drivers aged 25-54, using mobile Internet,” said Kazimierz Piekarz, CEO of Upgrade Interactive Marketing, Warsaw, Poland. ”Or alternatively, men interested in purchasing winter tires of premium quality for their private cars.”

Time For Winter Tires was marketed via a personalized SMS campaign sent out to over 80 thousand men. The SMS contained and advertising message and WAP link to a mobile microsite.

“[The call to action] was encouraging potential customers to visit a mobile microsite,” Mr. Piekarz said. ” The message read translated into English: "It is time for Goodyear winter tires. Fifteen sets of tires and 15 mobile phones worth 25000 PLN to win! Visit wap.gy.plus.pl," he said.

Mr. Piekarz said that during the 15-day campaign there were more than 2.2 million impressions recorded. Mobile banners had a 3 percent click through rate while the SMS portion had 5.2 percent.

Goodyear is not the first to try and sell tires using mobile. In April, a BMW Germany mobile campaign was deployed to sell more winter tires and is said to have achieved a 30 percent conversion rate. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/wo979

For more information teresa@zipstripe.com

Volvo Launches XC60 by Mobile

Automobile giant Volvo has turned to the mobile channel to promote its brand in Russia.

“Auto companies were early to the mobile Web and have been building consumer relationships via mobile — an uncluttered device and channel,” Ms. McKelvey said. Auto companies are using mobile to reach customers in new ways. "Not only are customers interested in getting more information right away, but they might also want to build their own car models and find the nearest dealer right from their mobile phones ... It facilitates the user experience with the automotive brands and provides an alternative to static mobile marketing campaigns.” From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/TvFbF

For more information contact mike@zipstripe.com

Petco and National Geographic Team Up for Mobile

The National Geographic Channel ran an SMS alert campaign promoting its “Dog Whisperer” program, which saw 2,000 opt-ins and prompted pet store giant Petco to come on board as a sponsor.

The campaign was launched in honor of the Dog Whisperer’s 100th episode with the intent to engage viewers and extend advertising opportunities for National Geographic. “Using the mobile phone as an additional communications channel makes the TV watching experience more interactive,” said Chris Brassington, group managing director at 2ergo, Manchester, Britain. The technology platform allowed NGC to automatically add new subscribers through a keyword-to-short-code system, easily upload tips content and schedule a specific send date and time, keeping the management time for the program at a minimum.

The initiative involved on-air calls-to-action along with an online call-to-action asking viewers to text the keyword DOG to the short code 64288 (NGCTV). After replying "yes" to the standard double-opt-in message, users are sent a tune-in reminder along with dog-training tips straight from the show’s star Cesar Milan four hours before the show airs on Friday nights.“Relevant and timely content that offers value to consumers should always take the lead in mobile marketing and messaging programs,” Mr. Brassington said. “You’ll get more subscribers who are more engaged and more likely to stay engaged with your brand over time.”After realizing the potential of this campaign, Petco chose to jump on board as a sponsor so that all SMS alerts would read “Sponsored by PETCO” and contain a mobile coupon code for 10 percent off purchases made at Petco.com.

“Not only can SMS drive viewership of the show through a timely text reminder, but SMS is more convenient for the viewer than making a phone call or going online to interact with the show,” Mr. Brassington said. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/n3YZW

For more information contact damico@zipstripe.com

Ace Hardware debuts Mobile Coupons

Ace Hardware has introduced a new mobile service that helps shoppers find products on store shelves and encourages repeat business with mobile coupons via text message that can be used immediately in the store where they are shopping.

If consumers would like a mobile coupon sent to their phone via SMS, they can say “Send coupons” to get a text message with a numeric coupon code that Ace enters into their point-of-sale system.

Some mobile coupons are dated for the following week, encouraging consumers to return at a later date to spend more. For example, a storewide promotion will offer consumers $5 off a $25 purchase at Ace Hardware via SMS. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/ixoVF

For more information contact andrew@zipstripe.com

Wheaties "FUEL" - New Product Intro by Mobile to Target Demographics

General Mills is running a multimillion dollar “Evolution” campaign that uses mobile to introduce Fuel, a new kind of Wheaties.

The multichannel Evolution campaign features an SMS call-to-action in Men's Health magazine, online and via an upcoming free-standing insert (FSI) delivered to consumers via conventional mail. Consumers are asked to text the keyword WHEATIES to short code DOTCOM (368266).

“We understand our target consumer is actively involved in mobile media around the clock,” said Dan Stangler, marketing manager for Wheaties at General Mills, Minneapolis, MN. “SMS interaction provides another piece of the puzzle in our overall digital communication strategy. “A text reference is provided in print and digital communications, enabling consumers to extend their experience beyond the Web site,” he said. “The SMS calls-to-action are part of our digital strategy to communicate with consumers through the most efficient touchpoints. “SMS is a great way to round out our digital execution, interacting with our consumer when they are on the move.”

“The Wheaties SMS initiative provides consumers with a number of engaging elements that encourage interactivity,” Mr. Stangler said, such as creating interactive mobile strategies with a focus on SMS, with content such as sports scores, trivia quizzes, recipe ideas and health tips. The firm then integrates brand messages within the information as part of an ongoing, multi-tiered conversation. The four dimensions of the SMS program, designed to support and enhance the other elements of the ad campaign, include interesting information about the elite athletes who helped create the new Wheaties. A trivia game tests consumers’ knowledge about the athletes. There is an option to sign up for email alerts to stay informed about new developments. There is also an opportunity to opt-in for weekly nutrition tips or fitness tips, automatically delivered to consumers’ mobile phone via SMS. The nutrition tips were developed in partnership with Men's Health Magazine. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/uX51O

For more information contact mike@zipstripe.com

Hugo Boss takes Italy by Mobile

Procter & Gamble’s Hugo Boss luxury brand raised awareness for its Element fragrance via a multichannel mobile media campaign. The campaign targeted independent, unconventional and modern Italian male consumers who are on-the-go.

"While the growth of luxury brands using mobile marketing could be perceived as part of the larger push towards brand engagement via mobile, a closer look reveals undeniable synergies between the two," said Ben Tannenbaum, communications manager at MX Telecom, New York.

"The personal nature of the mobile channel, when combined with the intimacy of the luxury brand-consumer relationship, makes mobile marketing an obvious and effective opportunity for luxury brands," he said. "The marketing strategy must appeal to the tastes of the targeted market, which are not necessarily the same as your everyday mobile user.

Why are luxury brands increasingly moving to the mobile space?

"Brands today need engagement, and luxury brand are not to be excluded. It's not simply about getting hundreds of thousands of consumers to see your ad," said Patrick Mork, vice president of marketing at GetJar, London. "It's more about building a relationship with them, which brings them closer to the brand in a way that is fun, innovative and personal." From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/nHh68

For more information contact Andrew at daminco@zipstripe.com

Blockbuster Expands the Brand to Your Phone

BlockBuster said Tuesday it will bring its streaming movie service to Motorola mobile phones.

The deal is the first time BlockBuster is bringing its onDemand service to mobile devices, and it will eventually enable Motorola users to have on-the-go access to thousands of movie titles. The companies did not announce when this service would be implemented, or how much it will cost.

The market is expected to see rapid growth over the next few years as networks and handsets get better, and as the business models are refined.

"Mobile video entertainment is exploding, as consumers are demanding the widest selection of content: the movies they love in their living room and on their PC, now also available on their mobile phone, while on the go," said Christy Wyatt, VP of software platforms at Motorola, in a statement.

The move is just the latest by BlockBuster to get expand its services beyond its retail locations in order to combat rivals such as Netflix, Roku, TiVo, and on-demand video services from cable providers.

For more information contact andrew@zipstripe.com

SMS initiatives to engage Political Millennials

Nonprofit political organization Rock the Vote is using mobile at events such as Lollapalooza to engage young Americans by connecting them with musicians and interactive politics.

Rock the Vote is ramping up its interaction with the millennial generation by leveraging interactive tools such as mobile polls and votes, broadcasting election news, narrowcasting voter registration information and providing the ability to send comments and mobile pictures to the Rock the Vote Web site.

“We ran a robust SMS campaign for the first time in 2008, and now all of our public service announcements include the SMS call-out,” said Chrissy Faessen, vice president of communications and marketing at Rock the Vote, Washington. “Mobile is integrated into all of our marketing and communications programs. “We use mobile in conjunction with other media as an opportunity to reach out to our target audience, ages 18 to 29,” she said. “We want to engage young people about politics and all of the issues that are important to them, and mobile is an excellent medium to connect to young people, because it helps up moves past geographic and demographic restrictions."

In addition, RTV can now send pertinent information to its constituents that they have expressed interest in and opted in to receive. "We also help them segment their messages to specific geographic areas based on key elections or votes within their priority initiatives encouraging young American voters to engage in the political system and realize they can make a difference."

RTV plans to incorporate their mobile calls to action in various types of advertising such as TV, radio and print throughout the country. They will also be getting the word out through grassroots tactics at live concerts and festivals, such as on-stage calls to action from the artists themselves or displayed on jumbo screens, as well as RTV volunteers handing out fliers and verbally encouraging attendees to participate in their various mobile campaigns. RTV also uses online widgets on their Web site and various social networks to entice young Americans to get involved. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/18JH2y

For more information teresa@zipstripe.com

Discovery Channel debuts ad-supported Mobile-video App

The Discovery Channel has debuted an ad-supported application for Apple’s iPhone, providing consumers with new videos, daily news, quizzes, photos and television schedules. The application enables users to get full-length episodes of Discovery Channel programming and providing Discovery with another monetization method in addition to advertising. Footwear giant Puma is among the brands running pre-roll video advertising within the application.

“With increasing consumption of entertainment on smartphones, we wanted to enable our fans to stay connected to their favorite programs wherever they go,” said Doug Craig, senior vice president of digital and home entertainment at Discovery Communications, Silver Spring, MD. “The launch of our Discovery Channel iPhone app is a natural extension of our mobile strategy, which offers consumers engaging mobile Web and video content through multiple carriers and services,” he said.

“The app serves as another touch point to engage Discovery Channel fans across demos by providing an immersive experience that includes videos of Discovery Channel's top programs, quizzes, photos, Discovery News and more.” From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/LvwNP

Home Shopping Network goes Mobile

Home Shopping Network has launched an application for Apple iPhone and iPod Touch users that will allow them to watch the network's programming on the go. The 45 million subscribers to the devices who download the HSN Shop App now have the ability to view HSN programming 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, throughout the US. The launch creates the e-commerce industry's first live-video "3-screen experience," enabling consumers to browse and shop the network's 35,000-plus array of products from home or on the go.

"Our customer is fashionable and discerning, and thrives on information, ideas and discovery," said HSN CEO Mindy Grossman in a statement. "HSN strives to be the true multichannel experience, and this new iPhone app now allows our customer to take HSN with her, anytime, anywhere, and be that reliable, ‘on-the-go' resource for lifestyle information she craves."

HSN will make live TV, including its library of original videos, HSN programs like Today's Special, Items Recently Aired, and hosts, featured designers and its products available through the application. In addition, the HSN Shop App will have a set of new features, including the interactive Shake2shop, which, with a simple shake of the device, generates random product recommendations as well as deals and promotions targeted at HSN's mobile customers.

"HSN truly leads the way in total convergence of its media technologies," says Brian Bradley, EVP/ GM, HSN Online & Advanced Services. "The loyalty of our customer base has been predicated in large part on a unique ability to engage them in all aspects of their lives, and the addition of a mobile 'third screen' opens up an entirely new dimension for interaction."
Users will also be able to make purchases through the application, whether by calling HSN directly or by using the device's browser.

Marlboro uses mobile to promote Marlboro Ducati Racing Team

Cigarette brand Marlboro has developed mobile offerings meant to increase the link between consumers and the Marlboro Ducati Racing Team. The branded iPhone game was created as part of a campaign in the Dominican Republic to target young professionals between 22 and 38 years old.

“The strategy behind adding a mobile component, was to use a consumer engagement solution in bars, clubs and lounges …The idea was to use devices and solutions that are innovative and to attract people with a relevant solution for the brands and the motorcycle activity,”.

The objective was to develop a consumer engagement experience in which participants would enjoy the apps, while increasing their interaction with Marlboro and Ducati. Mobile allows for fast and simple connectivity through WiFi, which allows for real-time reporting.
From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/JsVmI

Mobile Oreo Branding

Kraft Foods' Oreo tapped the mobile channel for a promotion meant to drive awareness of the cookie brand among British consumers. “The mobile device is a consumer’s third screen,” said Maya Mikhailov, vice president of Slifter, New York. “Like television and the Internet before it, no true 360-degree branding campaign is complete without presence on the most ubiquitous device in a consumer’s hand – the mobile phone.”

Through the promotion, Oreo targeted family members going to the movies together by sponsoring advanced screenings of family movies in cinemas across Britain.

To enter the promotion, entrants use their mobile phone to take a photo of their family and friends with the life-size Oreo and text it to a short code. Entrants received an SMS confirming their entry, followed by another SMS inviting them to go and see if their picture has been selected for the Oreo online gallery. Consumers are also able to download and print pictures from

Kraft has used mobile before. In May, Kraft Foods expanded its reach to consumers through the launch of a new mobile Web site, which was promoted via mobile search and banner ads on Yahoo’s Web portal. The mobile site is meant to offer new and existing Kraftfoods.com members access to recipes while on the go. The site extends Kraft Foods’ reach to any mobile phone with an Internet connection. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/17hXyk

L'Oréal Paris Develops Brand Awareness Mobile Campaign

Beauty products giant L'Oréal Paris ran a mobile marketing campaign to extend brand awareness around their new products, where the similarity between L'Oréal Paris' target groups and the mobile phone owners population recommended image and couponing campaigns.

The first L’Oréal Paris campaign was designed for the new "Combleur Collagène Lèvres," a collagen and hydrollic acid lip treatment. The campaign targeted women ages 35-49 by sending 105,000 French women a message with supermodel Linda Evangelista fronting for the brand.

L'Oréal Paris used mobile to promote a coupon offer for the new men’s hair-care product, "StudioLine MineralFX aux actifs minéraux.” A message was sent to 45,000 men ages 18-35 who had a smartphone. The message displayed Patrick Dempsey, a star from television’s “Grey's Anatomy.” He invited mobile consumers to connect on the L'Oréal Paris Web site to print a coupon for a discount on any product from the L’Oréal MineralFx range.

This is not the first time that a big brand has turned to the mobile channel to reach consumers with a message. For example, Puma used mobile messaging & a rich media mobile site to keep sailing fans updated about the Puma Ocean Racing Team. Of mobile phone subscribers, at least 90 to 95 percent have SMS or MMS capability, and as long as the content is relevant, they don’t mind receiving it and responding to it. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/mQlZx

Red Cross Reaffirms Mobile Fundraising

A partnership with wireless carriers can help nonprofit organizations maintain and even increase their donation levels in these tough times - charities and nonprofits can alert their donor base to this new channel and get mobile opt-in consent for its supporters to donate via their handsets.

“The Text 2Help program born out of a desire reach a broader base and get new supporters using SMS as a tool for donor acquisition,” said Jana Waterworth-McAndrew, manager of direct-response online fundraising and analytics at the American Red Cross, Washington. “We wanted to give people a channel for their compassion. “In response to the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, we wanted to create a quick and easy way for people to make donations, which we’ve implemented during large-scale disasters,” she said.

“Mobile donors are a much younger support base, and they’re typically looking for a quick, easy, noncommittal way to support a nonprofit organization.... Sending a text message takes two seconds, and younger supporters usually are not going to respond to email or direct mail solicitation.”

Mobile giving — getting people to respond to a call-to-action using text messaging to encourage them to donate, exploded last year. “We found that the mobile channel outpaced the funds they were able to raise online, and we think that’s only going to grow,” she said. “Donors don’t have to be tethered to a computer or fill out a form, and it’s very easy for them to donate whenever they see your call-to-action, no matter where they are.”

The most important factor is the marketing and advertising to promote these programs. “People won’t participate if they don’t know how,” Ms. Fine said. “The mobile channel is an interesting channel because it’s so intimate …. You have to make sure it’s something very meaningful, reaching people with something they want to participate in and take action,” she said. “You want people to pay attention every time you send someone a message, so it’s important not to flood their inbox.” "SMS is a fantastic direct-response mechanism. When you incorporate a mobile call-to-action in the right way, you can get 10, 20, even 30 percent response rates and higher, which is unheard of in direct-response programs, so make sure you’re integrating it with your traditional marketing activities.” From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/rLtiV

Victoria's Secret, Aeropostale, Ann Taylor offer Mobile Coupons

Victoria’s Secret is offering customers a coupon on orders over $100. When shopping, consumers show the cashier the appropriate coupon from the application on their iPhone or iPod touch. The cashier then types in the bar code or scans the coupon if that store has an optical scanner

“People will still shop online but they are a lot more excited about taking phones in-store to show a bar code and have it be scanned and get a discount … It will save people a lot more money than online coupon apps.”

The current economy makes all types of coupons attractive to consumers - “Coupons in general — even online coupons — they’re more popular because of the recession …It’s all about convenience.” From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/AbuLe

Foot Locker Runs Txt2Win SMS Contest to Drive Consumers In-store

Sportswear giant Foot Locker is running an SMS Txt2Win promotion to drive traffic to its stores in the United States.(See its website Call-to-Action to the left).

Foot Locker is giving away a total of $50,000 to the winners of its “Cash for Kicks” promotion and the grand prize winner will receive a $10,000 check. What’s more interesting is that a campaign of this size is using the mobile channel exclusively to communicate with registrants which allows consumers to respond to a promotion immediately, wherever they are. Their phone is rarely more than an arm’s length away.

SMS is also an easy, measurable way to leverage traditional media promotions for additional consumer participation as well as to activate and track print, television and out-of-home advertisements - mobile phones are great for running promotions because it is immediate where you don't have to sit at a desk in front of the computer or mail something in or fill out a card and consumers can respond right when they see the call-to-action.

Foot Locker then sends out an additional message offering a mobile coupon and the option to receive one message a month from Foot Locker concerning sales and special deals.

SMS is the one mobile channel that anybody can access. It is immediate, easy to use, has high reach, and is formulated to allow an interactive conversation. These elements make SMS a highly effective marketing channel. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/hXMGp

Nonprofits Can Raise Funds Through Mobile Channels

Charities & non-profits are using mobile to share their organizational messages, stimulate volunteerism and community, as well as, to raise money through a new mobile practice commonly referred to as mobile giving.

With mobile giving, charities & non-profits can invite people to donate to their organization by simply asking them to text message a keyword to a common short code and donate $5 to the charity. The donation appears on the mobile subscriber's mobile phone bill.

The consumer engagement process for mobile giving is straightforward. Here are the steps.

1. Consumers see call-to-action for a donation in traditional or new media channel and responds by either text messaging, as discussed above, or they can enter their mobile phone number into a form field on a wired Web or mobile Web site or a similar Web services application. This is step is referred to as the “opt-in.”

2. The opt-in triggers a confirmation text message request to the mobile subscribers, asking them to confirm their donation.

3. The mobile subscribers then reply Yes to the message to confirm the donation.

4. Once the confirmation response is received, a confirmation receipt is sent via text to the mobile subscribers informing them that their phone bill has been charged. It is at this last step that the billing happens. The mobile subscribers will not be charged until confirmation is received.

Integrate Mobile & Social Apps into Marketing Strategy

To promote your app, leverage the distribution channels you already have such as email and your Web site - access an enthusiast group that is already partial to the brand.”

Many savvy marketers are integrating applications for online social networks and smartphones such as the iPhone into their overall strategy.

“Try not to divide between the iPhone and Facebook when planning an app, because they’re connected,” said Jon Vlassopulos, CEO of Bellrock Media’s Moderati. “In fact, there are more iPhone apps than Facebook apps, and the mobile application experience is better than the [PC] Internet, because you can take the content with you in your pocket.”

To decide what is the best fit, each brand must ask itself, “What am I trying to do?”

“Very early in the application’s life cycle, try to tell a story and connect with existing brand campaigns,” Mr. Vlassopulos said. “Make sure the user experience on all platforms is connected and makes sense. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/JHjNo

Dinosaurs Being Driven by Mobile

... and you thought they were extinct! The Hartford Civic Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum and Exhibition Center used the mobile channel to drive ticket sales for its “Walking with the Dinosaurs” show.

The challenge that the XL Center faced was reaching out to its target demographic with an offer that was both meaningful and compelling. “The text campaign for Walking with Dinosaurs delivered an incredible response rate,” said Jennifer Marozzi, a Cox Media account executive. “Besides delivering great results, it also generates a buzz in the market through non-traditional advertising.”

XL Center leveraged the popularity of a (historically) successful show in order to build a double-opt-in mobile database which could be used to increase future event and show ticket sales. Mobile was a great tool for the center because it hopes to promote the XL Center and build a robust mobile database that could be used to remarket future events. XL Center chose a great event to promote — one that had a broad appeal (families and people of all ages)and offered a great prize as an added incentive to participate and double opt-in.

Mobile has been used to drive ticket sales in the past. Disney’s Tony Award-winning musical “The Lion King” at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas used mobile to drive ticket sales. From Mobile Marketer at http://bit.ly/yXoZx

Mobile Coupons Launched by Supermarket Chains A&P, Waldbaums & Food Emporium

The supermarket chains have launched digital coupons in locations throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Connecticut and Delaware.

“For consumers, this represents a significant improvement because it allows them to save money, save time and save trees,” said Anita Newton, chief marketing officer of Zavers. “Especially when you step back and look at where coupons reside — mainly in newspapers, this allows advertisers to target a new generation of online and mobile shoppers.”

In store there are postings at the door, over the sound system, posters at checkout counters and the receipt will give the total Red Tag Online or Fresh Club Online savings. The in store circular will show consumers how to use the program and gives the total of how much they could save with online coupons. Consumers can go online or on their mobile and download the coupons to their specific supermarket loyalty cards. The information about the coupons are stored on the card, so the discounts are taken when swiped at purchase.

“It’s a strong benefit for people wanting to become eco-friendly,” Ms. Newton said. “Only 1 percent of the paper coupons in the United States get redeemed, that’s a small number of coupons. Paperless offer a great benefit for consumers who want to help the environment but don’t want to spend money.”

Ms. Newton said the majority of purchases are still done in supermarkets and having coupons accessed via mobile devices benefits the consumers and the brands. “This technology allows consumers to access brand coupons and brands can engage with consumers at the moment of truth,” she said. “It’s a great way for them to save money and time in a medium they’re used to.” From Mobile Marketer http://bit.ly/s5yE5

Magazines Using Mobile to Drive People Into Local Stores

“We started off ... and we noticed a couple of things right away,” said Scott Dunlap, CEO of NearbyNow, Mountain View, CA. “The biggest being that every product has two buttons next to it, buy
online and find near me.

“Right off the bat, with hundreds of thousands of shoppers, 17 times more people click the find near me button,” he said. “That ratio has held. What we’re realizing is that the power of mobile is driving people into local stores. The more we realize that, it showed two things. Lucky, even in the face of a recession, is driving people to purchase. “Thanks to mobile, for the first time, you can actually see the yield of a magazine ad. We ended up realizing, this is nothing short of revolutionary for the magazine industry. Let’s build a platform, to make it easier for a magazine to launch an application.”

See full Mobile Marketer article at http://bit.ly/1wQjJP