Globalizing Mobile Marketing

BY Laura Marriott | March 23, 2006

View Direct Link to Article HERE

Is North American mobile marketing behind or ahead of the European mobile marketing industry? I've sat in many presentations about the state of the global mobile marketing environment. Some of the numbers used to communicate the lag between North America and Europe are 18 months, 9 months, 3 years, and 2 months. Is North America really that far behind, or are we in fact ahead?

In the past, technology differences held up mobile marketing and wireless data adoption in North America. Though Europe had a "calling party pays" model, which made text messaging more attractive and cost-effective than voice, North America created the bucket voice plans, which encouraged consumers to participate in voice-over-data chat.

Europe also had a single mobile air interface, GSM (define), which allowed seamless communications across borders and among consumers. North America was faced with the challenge of three competing air interfaces and limited communication among consumers for wireless data. In 2002, North America launched data interoperability and cost-effective data bundling strategies that resolved these issues and encouraged cross-carrier data communications for both P2P (define) and application-to-person (A2P) wireless data.

European consumers do participate more frequently in text-based campaigns and have a higher tolerance to participate in text-based campaigns, but North American adoption rates are growing quickly. Image-based campaigns, including mobile Web, video, and mobile search, are top of mind for North American consumers and will help drive adoption for mobile marketing. Globally, brands are looking for initiatives that will bring their brands to life. Image-based campaigns facilitate this for them. Consumer education will be key to encouraging all consumers to adopt, worldwide.

Then there are the applications. Europe and North America both offer similar campaigns and applications. European companies have long been recognized for success in mobile initiatives. Does success within the established European market translate well to North America?

Companies such as NeoMedia Technologies are betting the solutions and case studies in Europe will translate to North American success, which will, in turn, encourage brands and agencies to adopt mobile in full force. Over the last few months, NeoMedia has acquired four companies in the mobile marketing space, three in Europe and one in North America. These acquisitions allow NeoMedia, a new entrant to mobile marketing, to offer an end-to-end solution for brands and content providers.

Chas Fritz, founder and chairman of NeoMedia, told me, "Our combined company has now done over 4.5 billion on-pack promotions since 2001. We have won four Cannes Lions awards dedicated to success in mobile via 12Snap. We are bringing this expertise to North America."

Other companies in the mobile marketing space, mBlox, Mobile Media, Buongiorno, and Bango, to name a few, already conduct business and campaigns on both continents. Is it a seamless transition? It really depends on your business model and your understanding and openness toward consumer differences across markets. Fritz believes consumer education has a lot to do with the adoption of mobile marketing. Consumer adoption is ramping aggressively in the U.S., as shown by the text messaging growth rates, but consumers must still be educated about the power of the mobile channel and mobile technologies.

What will help drive adoption in North America? In the U.S., carriers, aggregators, and content providers have adopted the Consumer Best Practices Guidelines for Cross-Carrier Mobile Content Services, published by the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), which helps expedite mobile marketing campaigns by creating a baseline for short code campaigns. In essence, it's a level playing field for campaign deployment to ensure consumer privacy and publisher integrity. Common best practices, across all mobile media, will help shorten campaign deployment schedules for all players in the ecosystem.

So how far behind is North America? In terms of overall brand participation and consumer awareness, North America may lag, but it's catching up quickly with new applications and campaigns launching every week. And North America has a leadership position in mobile search, mobile advertising, and mobile video initiatives. The gap is closing... quickly!

This isn't a discussion about competition or who leads whom, however. It's a question about growth on both sides of the ocean in the mobile marketing space. As seen from the recent acquisitions of companies such as Omnicom, VeriSign, and NeoMedia, we're experiencing tremendous growth and investment in the mobile marketing industry. Regardless of which side of the ocean leads, our mobile marketing space is growing in leaps and bounds in a collaborative global fashion.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Can Mobile Promotions and Sweepstakes Change Consumer Behavior?

BY Laura Marriott | April 6, 2006

View Direct Link to Article HERE

Text "WIN" to "12345" for a chance to win $1 million.

Text "Chat" to "55555" to chat with a sports hero and be entered into a chance to win two courtside tickets to the next game.

These are two examples of the types of mobile promotions that have been launched over the past few months. "txt2win," "mobile sweepstakes," "reverse auctions," and "mobile treasure hunts" are all terms we hear related to mobile marketing promotions and sweepstakes that brands are deploying today.

Alltel was one of the first to offer a major mobile sweepstakes initiative. When Alltel launched its first mobile sweepstakes in which consumers could win $1 million as part of the Super Bowl promotion, it didn't anticipated the number of entries it received. On its second million-dollar giveaway with "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," it launched a similar txt2win campaign, but it also offered weekly prize giveaways and tied the promotion into TV, resulting in dramatically increased consumer participation.

Mark Fortune, Alltel staff manager, says mobile promotions provide "usage stimulation" for consumers and encourage those who haven't yet tried text messaging to participate via their mobile devices.

The company continues to offer mobile promotions. But rather than big-ticket $1 million prizes, it now offers promotions over longer durations with smaller, constant prizes. Consistency and persistency are key to drive consumer behavior and encourage text adoption. Mobile promotions provide an easy, simple means for a consumer to engage with the brand via the mobile device, says Fortune. And once consumers opt in, the brand can continue to engage the consumer and maintain that dialogue (if the consumer permits, of course). The value for the consumer is entertainment and a chance to win; the value for the brand is to continue to build awareness through maintained dialogue with the consumer.

As Alltel learned, the award's size and relevance encourages consumer participation. If you're looking to create a high rate of return, go for the big prize. But if you want to build a targeted consumer list and want to add a promotional element to your campaign, think what's appropriate for the audience. Then consider how can you continue the dialogue and further engage the group.

Creating a brand-specific opt-in list based on consumer approvals offers a new opportunity to follow up with those consumers who demonstrated interest in learning more about your brand. Soapbox Mobile and Amp'd Mobile are looking to build on this interest and extend the brand by allowing Amp'd subscribers to participate in movie-based promotions once they've participated in mobile ticket purchases.

At the Mobile Entertainment, Content, Commerce, and Applications (MECCA) conference in Las Vegas this week, Soapbox launched a mobile treasure hunt, perhaps the industry's first. Attendees were asked to register their phone numbers and participate in a game consisting of clues and questions related to the event, the sponsors, and the mobile industry. Every hour throughout the event, participants received a new text-message clue that led them on a treasure hunt with the opportunity to win a prize at the end of the game. A mobile treasure hunt offered conference attendees a new way to engage with their mobile devices.

There are also new entrants to the space offering reverse auctions in an attempt to stimulate mobile consumer growth and offer new brand opportunities. Limbo 41414 has recently entered the U.S. market following similar successful models overseas. With Limbo, consumers are encouraged to participate in an auction that awards the prize to the winner of the lowest unique bid for the item. All promotions offered by Limbo are currently free to consumers. Reverse auctions are another way to create an easy experience for users to interact with their mobile devices.

As with other promotional initiatives, Limbo's CEO Jonathon Linner stresses the goal is for sustained dialogue with consumers via a trusted relationship with their brands. Limbo ensures consumer protection by requiring a double opt-in for participation in a reverse auction, although double opt-in isn't necessary. To maximize the consumer relationship and brand loyalty, Limbo also offers a loyalty or points program for repeat visitors.

What are the rules surrounding text promotions? So long as there's no premium charge associated with the campaign, consumers simply enter via a single opt-in request. When a premium charge is associated, users must adhere to double opt-in requirements. In addition, many brands use a double opt-in to establish a new connection with the consumer. They ask if the consumer would like to receive additional alerts for product information or the next sweepstakes program. Lottery rules also necessitate a need to make consumers aware of all rules and guidelines in association with a campaign. Cross-media initiatives, where a mobile promotion is marketed via TV, online, print, and so forth., allow the brand to fully disclose all entry rules prior to a consumer participating.

But can the campaigns change consumer behavior? Soapbox's CEO, Dan Flanegan, believes mobile promotions require consumers to become more attentive to brand and orientation. Where consumers used to skip through commercials on prerecorded programs (e.g., TiVo), for example, or run to the kitchen during ads, they now focus on the brand's commercials to watch for keywords and information that will help ensure their success in the promotional campaign. Commercials again become entertainment for the consumer and help extend the brand's reach.

For brands, it's critically important to set the right user expectations. Message flows and campaigns must communicate in a way that's relevant. Mobile presents a new opportunity for brands to engage with, entertain, and hopefully reward their consumers.


<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The Third Screen, Clicks.
By Tom Burgess, CEO, Third Screen Media

As the mobile industry gains momentum and new participants and technologies join the scene, it’s time to take a moment, take stock of the present and look to the future to see what the rest of 2006 will bring.  The inaugural installment of Hold the Phone, Third Screen Media’s bi-monthly column for The Messenger, features six predictions for the mobile advertising industry in 2006.  While some prognostications will sound loudly and others may vibrate consistently over time, they all ring the bell, announcing the market is open for business.

Take a look around and you’ll see it’s a world transformed.  Carriers, content providers and advertisers are dealing with a new landscape where opportunity abounds.  Hundreds of millions of handsets—many equipped with the latest technological advances—signal the convergence of voice, text, data, video and entertainment. There’s no denying the scale of the phenomenon or the size of the market; it’s immense and growing exponentially.

Technology has enabled the millions of mobile subscribers to be on-demand consumers, with access to sports, weather, news and other data conveniently located on their handsets.  Mobile content has a broad demographic appeal, attracting a wide range of affluent male and female subscribers.  Advertisers seeking access to these highly desirable demographic segments are aggressively exploring mobile media as the newest, most personal channel for reaching consumers.  And, with the advent of the Internet and the mobile phone and the subsequent explosion of their use, there’s a new, more direct way for publishers to reach the many sets of eyes and ears that have wandered from their customer base. 
Prediction 1:    Clicking with Consumers
From the initial mobile ad trials—campaigns in their alpha and beta stages, rolled out to select groups of subscribers—all signs point to a positive response from consumers to non-intrusive ads on their handsets.  Beginning with newspapers and magazines and now with the Internet, consumers expect advertising, whether a conscious decision or not, as a tradeoff for the content they receive.  From reduced subscription costs for a monthly magazine to rich, extensive online content entirely subsidized, advertising plays an important role in the delivery of the information we deem worthy of our time and eyes.  The mobile platform will be no different as advertising campaigns that synch with personalized content become commonplace.

Prediction 2:    No static at all
We’ve said that mobile subscribers will be receptive to advertising, but this doesn’t open the door for every brand—big and small—to create an ad deluge, swamping customers with useless offers and undirected messages. This would be disastrous, both for the carrier who values their customers, and the customers themselves, who would turn away from a technology they have grown to depend on.  We believe that mobile advertising will herald a wave of relevant, offer-based, on-demand opportunities and value to the subscriber experience. For example, you’re just down the street from a coffee shop that’s now offering discounts on their new java blends.  Because you opted to receive customized local offers, with a click on your handset, a coupon appears for a free cup.  Hang a right at the next light, have your coupon scanned at the counter, and through the wonders of mobile advertising you’ve got your free caffeine fix for the morning commute.

Prediction 3:    Breathe easy
We’re NOW consumers, so we like what we want, when we want it, and no other medium has helped us feed our appetite for information like the mobile handset.  As new revenue models that bode well for publishers create new opportunities, we’ll soon feed our mobile minds with even more information.  From sports and weather to news and entertainment, publishers are eager to catch the attention of customers who have long since gone digital in a world where some still speak analog.  The mobile platform will provide a needed breath of fresh air for those publishers suffocating from shrinking revenue streams as traditional mediums face subscriber exodus.

Prediction 4:    ReveNEW
With the carrier playing an ever greater role in enabling mobile advertising through its willingness to allow ads on their decks, new revenue models that do not yet exist will come into play, offering opportunities for every willing player in the marketplace.  As carriers open up their decks, the top brands will take advantage of the new found medium for reaching a targeted audience, and carriers stand to benefit.  Content providers, offering valuable, individualized services to mobile customers, will also profit, as more advertising avenues will open.  Consumers will ultimately gain the most from these advances, as advertising will help to subsidize subscription fees, opening up a world of content on their mobile devices.

Prediction 5:    All hands on deck?
It’s pretty clear that the best way to get premium content to the biggest audience is to be accessible via a carrier’s deck.  This creates an interesting business tension between the carriers as keepers of the deck and the publishers as lords of the content.  Who will be the pioneering carrier that will not only be the first to open the flood gates but develop a workable business model that let’s them co-exist with publishers?  Our prediction:  the carrier that moves first will set the standard for the other carriers and realize the greatest potential upside.

Prediction 6:    Meeting expectations
As mobile advertising heralds a new era in enabling technologies, new technology and service providers will enter the fray and existing ones will seek to take advantage of the momentum.  To provide an efficient and effective experience for consumers and the market makers, new providers will need to support all of the major mobile media types  that early adopters have grown to expect on the handset; including WAP, video,  MMS, and downloadable content.  As with any new market opportunity, meeting and exceeding expectations will be critical to success for all concerned.

So, when 2007 rolls around and we once again look to the future, we’ll also be able to look back on 2006 and remember that this was the year when everything…clicked.  From carriers and enabling technologies to publishers, advertisers and subscribers, the entire market is open for business and business will be good. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The ABCs of Mobile Marketing, Part 3

BY Laura Marriott | March 9, 2006

View Direct Link to Article HERE

Mobile is but one channel in a brand's cross-media marketing communications program. It's a means to target a consumer anytime and anywhere via the highly personal mobile device. Mobile programs have been offered across the globe, on some scale, for the past few years. So what have we learned from existing campaigns to date? And what lessons and information about the mobile channel can be shared with the brands, content providers, and agencies that are just entering the space?

I decided to touch base with mobile marketing veteran Jim Manis, a SVP at m-Qube and chairman emeritus of the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA). Manis has been involved in mobile marketing since 1998 and with m-Qube since January 2002.

"The amount spent by media companies and brands has increased dramatically in 2005 and continues to escalate in 2006," says Manis. "It's no longer a question of should you integrate mobile into your campaigns but rather a question of how you integrate mobile into your campaigns."

So what have we learned from those who came before us, and how can we leverage this knowledge to ensure our own mobile successes?

First and foremost, mobile is a channel, not a strategy. It's critical to leverage mobile marketing's unique capabilities within the context of an overall marketing campaign. That means integrating the mobile element into print, on-pack, and TV spend. Mobile is but one component of a cross-media marketing communications campaign. It offers the ability to target consumers when and where they're ready, willing, and able to engage with your brand and, potentially, make a purchase. Mobile doesn't stand alone.

Second, drive opt-in. Consumers are in control of their mobile experience and their interaction with your brand. Encourage them to engage in your campaign by offering benefits that will appeal to them. These may include content, information, contests, entertainment, novelties, offers, and so on. Programs must also be easy for consumers; they must offer a high-quality, easy-to-use experience that equates to minimal effort and hassle; privacy protection; and ease of data entry. Your mobile campaign must be simple to use and understand. Then, once you've engaged the consumer, keep the dialogue going. Mobile offers an opportunity for exclusive, unique interaction -- so keep the consumer engaged!

There are a few misconceptions about the mobile channel. Let's straighten them out with the facts:<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

• Belief: Mobile is best suited for the teen market.
  Fact: Though mobile is certainly better suited for those 35 years of age and under, it certainly spans age groups. New campaigns and initiatives are focused on the older demographics and include automotive campaigns, loyalty programs, fundraising, and sports and entertainment marketing. The mobile demographic is beginning to skew more broadly, so don't feel restricted by age. M:Metrics research also shows the majority of mobile users are employed full time. That means the mobile demographic has a higher basis of disposable income. Determine your segment, and develop the campaign accordingly.
• Belief: Mobile is an extremely difficult channel to use and is hard to understand and navigate.
  Fact: Due to the commonality of standards and the adoption of industry best practices, mobile is a very easy channel to use, once you find the right partner to help guide you through the process.
• Belief: Mobile makes for fast campaign deployment.
  Fact: Mobile marketing programs do require lead time and may even require more lead time than you anticipate. Plan accordingly. Integrating mobile into a campaign requires as much preplanning as print or TV.

Bottom line: adding mobile to your initiatives is a process of iterative refinement, not reckless creativity. "The mobile channel offers substantial benefits to agencies, brands, and consumers. Don't delay, move now!" says Manis. "If you have not yet begun to learn about the benefits mobile can provide, start to learn now. Mobile is simple, start now."

Mobile is now a mainstream marketing element. On "The Apprentice" this past Tuesday night, Donald Trump encouraged the candidates to boost consumer participation in a text-based campaign for Gillette. If The Donald is doing it, shouldn't you be, too?

This concludes the three-part series on the ABCs of mobile marketing. Future columns will focus on the issues, technologies, and opportunities facing our mobile marketing ecosystem. Stay tuned.

The ABCs of Mobile Marketing, Part 2

BY Laura Marriott | February 23, 2006

View Direct Link to Article HERE 

This column was originally intended to be split into two installments to explain the basics of mobile marketing, lessons we've learned, and how to choose a partner. But after conversations with many brands and agencies, I've determined that choosing a partner is a complex process for many marketers. It deserves its own column -- and quickly!

If you're unfamiliar with the mobile space's players and ecosystem, selecting the ideal mobile partner can be daunting. This column will explain the mobile value chain and provides some questions for you -- the brand or agency -- to ask your prospective mobile partners, prior to making any selection decisions.

Although many players in the space are integrating across the value chain, there are four main elements:<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

·          Products and services. Includes brands, agencies, and third-party content providers. These are the companies seeking collaboration and partnership with others within the value chain. We also see the emergence of mobile agencies and the creation of mobile divisions within larger agencies, which help with the end-to-end decisions around the mobile campaign. Depending on your needs, the mobile agencies may be what you're looking for.

·          Mobile ASPs(define). Includes application and technology providers, along with the MASP. The MASP is the mobile partner that can provide a complete, one-stop solution for a mobile campaign, including mobile storefronts, campaign planning, and connectivity.

·          Connection. Includes aggregators and wireless operators. Many players in the mobile space are focused on connection only. Many MASPs are partnered with these companies, and thus connection players don't need to be contacted directly (although, again, it depends on your needs).

·          Media and retail. Includes brick-and-mortar, e-tail, and so on.

Many brands are baffled. With so many companies to choose from, and so many differences between the companies, how can you possibly find the right partner? It's best to first determine the capabilities you're looking for, then develop a checklist so you can narrow the selections and determine the partner that's right for you. According to Nihal Mehta, CEO of ipsh!, finding the right partner is one of the most important decisions you can make when choosing to integrate mobile into your cross media campaign. "Finding the right partner in the mobile marketing space makes the difference between a successful campaign and a complete flop," says Nihal.

Develop a checklist that includes the elements important to you and your company. Also ensure you include the following:

·          How many campaigns has your mobile company launched? With which companies and brands? The number of campaigns and the size of the brands a company's worked with helps you understand its level of expertise. A partner should provide you with a list of contact companies and brands it's worked with, along with references.

·          What are your company's customer care resources? Do I receive a dedicated account manager or support person? This should include number of support individuals, response times, levels of care (SLAs), and so forth. For those who appreciate personalized service, understanding if the same individual will be involved throughout your campaign may be important.

·          Does your company provide proactive monitoring and reporting on my campaign? For example, does the company provide statistics and information throughout the campaign, or only at the end? Is this information available via a client extranet or must you depend on the agency to supply this data? Answers to these questions are important as ongoing feedback will help you understand and tweak the campaign throughout (iterative feedback and refinement).

·          To what extent is the mobile company focused on your particular niche? If you're a player in the business-to-business (B2B) space, does the mobile partner understand how you do business? If you're a nonprofit, does your mobile partner understand the intricate nature of grassroots fundraising and donor management? If you're a large brand marketer, does your mobile partner understand all the channels you speak through and can it help augment them with a mobile program that works in concert?

·          What types of services are offered? Is the partner company a mobile agency, an aggregator, other? Can you provide Web-related development that brings a mobile program to life or help to guide this process? How does its services match to your specific needs? For example, will you look to the partner company to execute creative and strategic direction in addition to connectivity?

In this case, developing a needs checklist is important in assessing a potential partner company. Be honest about which services you need and which you don't. If you're looking for creative input, ensure you pick a company that values creativity and personalization.

·          Can the mobile partner help determine the campaign objectives through an ROI (define) calculation or other quantitative or qualitative means? This will help you determine if your mobile partner understands what your needs and priorities are prior to the campaign launch. Some mobile companies specialize in certain vertical segments. If you're looking for expertise for your vertical, ask around.

·          What wireless carriers do you have direct or indirect connectivity to? Depending on your campaign, this is an important question if you're planning to launch nationwide or global campaigns across all carriers, or only with one carrier, standard or premium rate.

·          How stable is the partner company? What are the funding and employee count, and how long has the company been in operation? What's its core focus and competencies (e.g., aggregation, licensing, creative, etc.)? If you're considering a long-term partnership for your mobile initiatives, these are important questions to ask. There are a large number of both established and new entrants in the space.

Though not exhaustive, these questions should help to narrow the partner-selection process. Remember, your mobile partner is the expert in mobile marketing and will help guide and assist you. There are lots of options to choose from, so choose the partner that's right for you and your business.

Still lost? The Mobile Marketing Association Web site contains information on successful mobile case studies, mobile marketing basics, and general information that will help educate you prior to approaching prospective partners.

In part three, we'll focus on what we've learned from U.S. mobile marketing campaigns.

Inside Move: CBS hopes to clean up with 'mobisoaps'
Eye to bring sudsers to cell phones

By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER

To View Direct Link to Article Click HERE

So that's why they call it a "soap opera": CBS' newest sudser will be seen on screens smaller than an actual bar of soap.

The Eye is developing its first original entertainment content for cell phones, a sudser that will run five to seven original episodes a week, at three to five minutes a pop.

CBS' daytime department is handling the project, sealing a deal with writer-producer James Dutcher ("City Guys") and Leah Hecker to create the mobile soap (or "mobisoap").

The sudser's title and several concepts are still being kicked around; internally, the show is referred to as "Hey, It's Me" (a play, of course, on how people usually launch into cell phone conversations).

Story arcs could last as long as three months. Casting has not yet commenced, and it's not yet clear what services might carry the show.

The mobisoap reps CBS' latest attempt to move into the wireless communications space. Eye and sib UPN most recently signed on with Amp'd Mobile to provide entertainment to Amp'd users' broadband wireless phones, including clips from shows such as "CSI: NY," "Late Show With David Letterman" and "America's Next Top Model."

CBS also has a content deal with Verizon Wireless' Vcast to provide clips from CBS News and "Entertainment Tonight" produced specifically for cell phones, as well as clips from shows like "CSI" and "Letterman" and some behind-the-scenes footage.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Content Discovery: Beyond Search
By Liora Bram, Director of Consumer Applications Marketing
NMS Communications
www.nmscommunications.com

As the saying goes, “Content is king.”  And industry analysts predict continued growth for content sales.  Ovum estimates that wireless consumers will spend US$24B on premium content in 2006¹.

If you’ve bought mobile content in the past, you know that it isn’t always easy.  Today, consumers are browsing operator catalogs via web or WAP browsers.  This can often be time-consuming as it requires clicking through the various content classifications that the operator has designated to find (hopefully!) content of interest.  Some estimates put the number of “clicks” necessary to purchase a single piece of content as high as 16 — assuming the subscriber has a general idea of what they are looking for.  In many cases, it can be even higher.  And if consumers are searching on the operator’s portal, their choices are limited to what is being offered at any given time.

Content retailers alleviate the problem slightly, by offering a larger universe of content that is searchable by anyone with an Internet connection and access to a search engine.  And, these specialized content providers put all of their marketing energy into promoting content, so TV and radio advertisements reach audiences with information about the specific content they are eager to purchase.  By publicizing shortcodes and web addresses that allow consumers to purchase content easily, these content retailers have changed the rules of the game for content purchases and conditioned subscribers to expect the process to be pain-free and quick.

The Advent of Mobile Search
Recently, a number of new companies, as well as familiar brands like Google and Yahoo, have been making quite a bit of noise around the concept of Mobile Search.  This development allows consumers to begin searching the catalogs of both operator portals and the broader universe of content providers to find the content that is of most interest to them.  Using these technologies, they can now type in the name of a particular artist, for example, and receive a list of all available content from that artist, including ringtones, ringbacks, wallpapers, and videos.

Clearly, there’s a real need for the ability to search for information — and content — on the mobile Internet, but even with this capability, the industry is relying on subscribers to go out and find content.  Might there also be an opportunity to deliver it directly to the subscriber, making content purchases an impulse buy?

Content “Served on a Platter”
As handsets, and services, get more sophisticated, there is quite a bit more that can be done on the handset to deliver content of interest.  Operators are already featuring specific services — like ringback, game downloads, music streaming — as icons on 3G handsets.  In the future, we can expect them to highlight suggested content for purchase — based on past behaviors — right on the screen.

Operators know a lot about their customers.  By mining their various databases, they can understand how much individual subscribers spend each month, what types of services they are interested in purchasing, and which genres of content they usually buy.  Why not take that information and alert subscribers to new content they are likely to want?

For 3G services, this could be a “what’s new” icon on the handset.  For everyone else, it could be a clickable icon every time a subscriber signed on to either the WAP or web portal.

Another strategy involves opt-in SMS and MMS alerts about new content of interest.  Subscribers can accept notification of new content and interesting promotions so that they don’t have to go looking for content.  And content providers and operators can enjoy knowing they are keeping their services top-of-mind with customers.

Content Discovery is Complex
Over the next few years, we’re going to be hearing a lot about content discovery.  And it’s going to mean more than just search.  Obviously, search will be an integral part of the mobile Internet’s evolution, but innovative service and content providers aren’t going to just sit back and wait for consumers to find content.  As the mobile channel continues to overtake almost every other medium in terms of global penetration, smart providers are augmenting the mobile search revolution by proactively finding ways to deliver content directly to their consumers.  As marketing and content delivery in the mobile world gets more sophisticated, look for the concept of “content discovery” to encompass a whole host of new delivery models.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Liora Bram may be reached at +44 (0) 7899 916438, or via email at [email protected].

1. Ovum. “Premium Content Forecast.” August 2005.

Build it and they wont come, market it and they will

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Mike Baker, CEO and President of Enpocket salutes the achievements that content owners have made in 2005 but points to the key component many have yet to master: how to market mobile entertainment services most effectively…

With most major movie studios, record labels and media companies launching mobile media offerings in 2005, the great content build out is in full swing.  In sharp contrast, the era of mobile marketing has just begun as brands come to grips with the sobering fact that most consumers are completely unaware of content designed specifically for them. 

The “build it and they will come” mentality is a risky way for media companies to attack the mobile market.  Content buried in operator decks or residing off-portal will rarely, if ever, be discovered by a mass-market audience.  Sub-standard search capabilities compound the problem and make the discovery process even more tricky. 

The most successful purveyors of mobile entertainment are applying traditional consumer marketing discipline to the launch and mid-life product management of their offerings.  But with an important twist: the mobile channel itself is the primary marketing vehicle.  As we learned with the emergence of the Internet, in-medium interactive advertising is powerful and effective.  There is increasing evidence that in-medium marketing is also the best way to tackle the task of creating awareness and educating consumers in the increasingly complex world of mobile.

Here’s an update on what’s “moving the needle” in mobile marketing:

1 - The advent of rich media marketing
The rich creative palette offered by MMS can delight consumers and deliver powerful branding messages.  But it also is proving to be highly effective in driving response and mobile content purchase activity.  For example, Vodafone uses audio, video and animation within MMS messages on a daily basis to provide special offers and previews of actual content, direct toward targeted consumer segments.  The results have been dramatic.

For a recent Full Track Music Download promotion targeted customers doubled their downloading activity during the campaign period.  The campaign presented an audio edit of three contrasting music tracks together with slickly animated sequences demonstrating how the service can be used anytime, anywhere.  Recipients then clicked on a hot link to go directly to the content.

Obviously for operators this makes perfect sense, as they own the channel.  But with bulk MMS costs coming down brands are now turning to the medium.  Samsung recently promoted the ‘skipping stone’ mobile game to its download club via MMS.

2 - Harnessing the power of data to drive program returns
Perhaps the biggest challenge to effective mobile entertainment marketing is delivering consistently relevant messages to consumers.  In this regard, the power of the medium – its ability to deliver an advertising impression to an individual at a given time and place – is also its greatness pitfall.  Irrelevant messages fail to generate sales and can lead to a consumer to reject a brand. 

This is where predictive analytics come in.  Leading operators and media companies are unleashing the power of their consumer data by applying “marketing science” systems and analysis to deliver the right message to the right consumer at the right time.  Particularly effective are data models integrated with campaign management systems that enable rules-based mobile marketing to optimize revenue on an ongoing basis. 

3- Contextual display advertising
The other significant development in mobile marketing is the emergence of mobile internet banner ads to drive content sales.  Like e-commerce, sellers of mobile content have discovered that WAP page views represent very effective targeted advertising inventory (consumers who browse on their phones are much more likely to click on mobile content offers).  One of the world’s largest mobile game publishers is successfully using mobile banner ads served across a number of third-party WAP sites to drive traffic to the “buying page” of operators’ portals featuring its games.  Click rates are between 5-10% and conversion rates of 3%, far higher than any other form of response marketing.

Pulling it all together
It’s time to get serious about marketing your mobile content.  When putting together your product marketing plan, think relevance, reach, rich experience, response, revenue.  It’s all about making discovery easier and getting the content they love into consumers hands.  To make mobile entertainment a bigger industry, we have to make it accessible to everyone – let 2006 be the year when the industry truly learns how to market itself to the masses.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

WE Goes Fashionably Mobile<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Guest Commentary: Jump on the Mobile Delivery Bandwagon
January 16, 2006
By Izzy Abbass

View Direct Link to Article HERE

Mobile devices are the most personalized and direct marketing tools to which content owners and brands have access today.

Mobiles are with people wherever they go. People rarely lend their mobile phones, even to family members, and though a household may have only one or two TVs, it is likely to have four mobile phones. There are almost 200 million mobile phones in the U.S. and close to 2 billion worldwide. The question is, how do we take advantage of this widespread marketing tool?

The most common and easiest method of exploiting mobile devices is via short message service-also known as text messaging. However, once the SMS is exchanged, how do you continue the dialogue and keep the brand ever-present with the user?

With just a stand-alone SMS campaign, you have to continue to send messages to keep the user engaged. This tactic will eventually lead to SMS fatigue and the messages may become what operators and the public both fear: spam over Internet telephony, or SPIT.

SMS will remain a powerful tool for marketers, but it must be used in conjunction with something else that allows interaction with the consumer.

There are three application types that allow you, the content owner, to create and maintain a relationship with your audience members via their mobile devices:

·  Wireless application protocol

Web pages formatted specifically for mobile are common today. This trend will probably continue to grow for the immediate future, but in the long term it will more than likely become the low-cost entry point for smaller operations. Content owners and brands will not be happy with the difficulty of streaming video from a single WAP site to all types of mobile phones, and there is a loss of flexibility with regard to overall functionality. This is exacerbated by another trend we are seeing, which is "WAP fatigue"-in which users tire of using a numeric keypad to enter a URL and downloading each page of a menu.

·  Add content to an umbrella brand

Most of us are now familiar with portals featuring streams of broadcast feeds under either a carrier-controlled portal

(V Cast, Sprint TV) or a third party (MobiTV, SmartVideo). This method allows you to have your channel available on mobile phones and generate some revenue.

However, your ability to fully exploit the mobile phone as a marketing tool and brand extension is somewhat limited. Viewers are still restricted to time schedules, defeating mobile's "anytime, anyplace" convenience. Who wants to wait until 18 minutes past the hour to watch local weather when there's only five minutes before his or her 2 p.m. meeting? Plus, the strength of the brand is watered down when it becomes just one channel on a text channel lineup.

It remains to be seen what opportunities will develop to generate ad revenue from mobile campaigns and ad tie-ins.

·  Create your own branded portal.

This strategy not only offers you the best opportunity to expand your brand it's also the best way to increase your revenues. With a stand-alone portal you control your users' complete experience and you can decide how often and in which way content and special offers are updated.

Further, provided you have the right partner, you own the database and the ability to promote as you want. The trick is to find a partner who can offer you the ability to reach the largest audience possible.

In each of these applications, the fundamentals for creating an effective strategy remain the same. Integration with other marketing efforts and media is key, as is the ability to measure your results and provide true accountability.

Also, it's important to give users a chance to interact with the content and provide feedback. You'll never know if you're reaching people with the right messages and in the right way without it. And if you send them SPIT, you definitely won't get the response you'd like!

So if you're thinking about taking the leap to mobile, start now. It's not too early, and you risk losing ground to competitors already in this space if you hold off too long. If you're not sure which way to go, take advantage of several channels and explore what works best for you and your brand.

With an increasingly "on-the-go" population, we may find that consumers adopt the idea of video content on their mobile devices faster than any other new entertainment platform to date.

The race is on.

Izzy Abbass is president of U-Turn Media Group.