NY Mets Take a Swing at Mobile Marketing

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The New York Mets have a long way to go to patch things up with fans heartsick over the team's, shall we say, less than stellar 2009 season. But the organization is certainly trying. And they're hoping a mobile game plan will help.

Mobile marketing firm Txtstation is teaming with Verizon Wireless to roll out whats being dubbed an interactive in-park mobile campaign that hones in on fans attending Mets home games at Citi Field.

Some of the most exciting elements are:

Fan Choice Awards - Nightly poll allowing fans to voice their opinion on various Mets topics

Wise Eight Inning Sing Along - Fan vote as to what song should be played during the 8th Inning break

Caesars Fan Forum - User generated content, via text messages, allowing fans to express their take on a pre-determined subject

Xerox Fan Photos - Photo submissions displayed in a slideshow-like manner

Txt-of-War - Simple voting format which pits opposing sides against each other

For each particular promotion the voting results and content are displayed in real time in the video board in the stadium, which obviously punctuates the interactive atmosphere the Mets ballclub is trying to cultivate.

Advertisers continued to grow their mobile presence in July

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The U.S. mobile Web grew 2.17 percent month over month to 61.1 million users according to the Millenial Media July Smart Report.

The report also found that campaigns sending traffic to their persistent mobile sites, as a campaign destination in July, increased 12.44 percent. Also, During July, the only full month of summer, advertisers ran broader-targeted campaigns, which decreased cost per engaged user rates.

In July, evidence of a mobile summer seasonal trend emerged,” said Mack McKelvey, vice president of marketing at Millennial Media, Baltimore. “In our May Smart we reported a large lift in network traffic, a decline in WiFi traffic, and spikes in interaction rates across key verticals such as travel and auto.

“From our network analysis, it was clearly a Mobile Memorial Day, and advertisers that pre-planned and creatively targeted reaped the most rewards from this mobile weekend,” she said.

...as advertisers opted for broader reach, they also wanted to avoid brand burn-out with their targeted consumers.

“Advertisers continued to grow their mobile presence in July,” Ms. McKelvey said. “By sending consumers to an evergreen mobile site allowed advertisers to build brand awareness and consumer engagement on a consistent basis in July.”

Apple’s iPhone continued to dominate the top devices category with a 12.21 percent share, a 3.62 percent increase over June. Additionally, iPhone/iPod touch impressions increased 29 percent across the network in July. Apple continued to close the gap but Samsung remained the top device manufacturer in July. Two new mobile devices entered the top 20 in July – the LG enV2 and the Samsung SCH-U410.

"Broad-based targeting and consistent brand messages, coupled with frequency capping to prevent brand exhaustion was key for advertisers last month,” she said.

-Giselle Tsirulnik

Pizza Hut campaign sees 2,000 opt-ins in two weeks

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

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,” said Shira Simmonds, president of Ping Mobile, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. “In addition, the client used their TV spots to promote their new product, and at the end of the spot, they promoted the mobile call-to-action with an awesome sweepstakes attached.

“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.”

Pizza Hut’s Hershey Dunkers are freshly-baked, soft, dessert sticks topped with white chocolate and Hershey’s milk chocolate – served with rich chocolate dipping sauce.

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 was faced with the challenge of trying to find a way to make its new product launch stand-out from all of the other offerings being launched by competitors in the same market.

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.

Also, Pizza Hut was the first pizza chain to offer both text messaging and mobile Web ordering options on a nationwide basis.

-Giselle Tsirulnik

Some thoughts on the Smartphone...

Smartphones have become very prolific in recent years, and...the ecosystem has changed significantly. The mobile Web, touch-screen interfaces, and mobile applications have the spotlight now, and it's forcing Blackberry to play catch-up in a major way.

Six Flags, Chrysler multichannel campaign includes mobile

EDITOR'S NOTE: Keep in mind that any number of cross-promotions can be effective in mobile marketing. How about dinner and a movie? Or dinner followed by a dessert? Coffee or cookies while shopping at the mall? The list goes on...

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.

“[The sweepstakes is being] promoted on http://www.sixflags.com, in-park and Chrysler promoted as well,” said Sandra Daniels, spokeswoman at Six Flags, New York.

Six Flags started operation in 1961 and a chain of amusement parks and theme parks. The company maintains 21 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, water parks and family entertainment centers.

The Wrangler is four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by automaker Chrysler under its Jeep marquee.

Signs throughout participating Six Flags locations promoted the mobile calls to action.

Consumers can enter the promotion by texting the keyword JEEP to 39668.

Users will then receive a thank you message and the opportunity to opt-in for feature marketing.

Participants that double opt-in get added to a database of names for future marketing.

Ms. Daniels said the target audience for the promotion is young adults, ages 18 and older.

Activities at the event included special driving courses, customization demonstrations and roundtables where owners could interact with Chrysler engineers and designers.

Other theme parks have been using mobile to promote brands as well.

[Funtown Splashtown USA in Saco, Maine uses] mobile marketing to prompt locals to visit during the hot summer season.

“[Mobile is] another way of reaching our key audience,” she said.

-Chris Harnick

Churches use SMS to engage congregations nationwide

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Christian churches nationwide are using text messaging to engage and communicate with their congregations.

“We’re focused on helping nonprofit organizations to connect with their audiences more effectively, and churches have use mobile messaging in a variety of ways, some just polling, just alerts, some Q&A, but the SMS initiatives we power tend to be more complex,” said Dawn Baldwin, senior partner at Jarbyco, Chicago. “It’s interesting to see mobile leveraged in different ways.

“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.

“Churches are finding different ways to leverage mobile technology, and it’s helping them to connect to other people and grow in a way that’s more meaningful than getting a coupon.”

As audience sizes continue to grow and event programming becomes more creative, many organizations are finding ways to move away from the one-way communication approach and draw from audience feedback.

*****
Text alerts

Text alerts let the church reach their audience on a number of levels in a short and direct way.

Sending mass messages with the audience’s permission has the power to deliver something relevant.

Text alerts can be used to challenge members on a specific action that would help them grow spiritually, send encouragement or a scripture verse, ask them to invite a friend to the next week’s service or remind parents to pick their students up at 7 o'clock rather than 6.

"Direct and to the point, the church's influence can extend beyond Sunday morning," Ms. Baldwin said.

*****

Prayer requests

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.

An account can collect all of the requests and be printed out and distributed to a prayer team or teaching staff.

A great way to leverage this technology is to display prayer requests on side-screens when worship songs are played.

"This allows for a powerful moment—the church body collectively yet individually praying over a specific need," Ms. Baldwin said. "It's a cool thing to come from a simple text message."

*****
Bounce-backs

This feature allows for an auto-reply after texting in. The response could be to promote an upcoming event.

Congregation members can automatically get service times or connect with a volunteer opportunity.

For example, when a congregation member texts the keywords US99 CHURCH to short code DOTORG (368674), the system could automatically send the date, time and location details to that person’s phone.

*****

Live Q&A

As audience sizes continue to grow and event programming becomes more creative, many organizations are finding ways to move away from the one-way communication approach and draw from audience feedback.

Jarbyco mobilizes churches
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.”

*****

Polls and quizzes

A quick way to address and speak to the thoughts and preferences of an audience is to run a poll.

Texting in your answer and having live results cycling on the screens allows for inclusivity and sees greater response rates than asking audience members to raise their hands.

One church asked its congregation via SMS whether or not miracles still happen today. Another asked which song should be played as an encore during a worship concert.

-Dan Butcher

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Mobile marketing industry to reach $50B by 2014

Brands that get into mobile in the next year will become a catalyst for mass-consumer adoption of mobile marketing and commerce, according to a study by Mind Commerce.

The study shows that the world market for mobile marketing and advertising is projected to reach $50 billion by 2014, up from $29 billion currently, representing an annual growth rate of 12 percent. With the rapid maturation of this market, brand managers will have quite a bit to celebrate as this gold-mine marketing channel fully emerges.

“Marketers who set the trends will enable their customers to adopt new means of consuming their goods and pave the way for others with a ‘wait and see’ attitude to play catch up,” said Fred Taylor, research director at Mind Commerce.

“Testing the mobile waters today is the best strategy for brand managers who have been reluctant so far to take the wireless advertising and marketing plunge,” he said.

The study outlines several key steps to planning a mobile marketing or advertising campaign, strongly recommending that marketers integrate mobile into a multichannel, cross-media marketing strategy.

This way, brands can build upon the foundation that has already been laid out on other platforms such as television, online, print and radio.

The first recommendation is to customize the consumer experience.

With mobile, marketers have the opportunity to speak to consumers one-on-one with relevant content at a specified time.

“Astute marketers will capitalize on that capability by ensuring text-based campaigns incorporate messages that compel recipients to take action – such as clicking through to a Web site, redeeming a coupon, or replying with their personal information,” he said.

...direct response campaigns are a brand’s best bet in engaging today’s varied consumer demographics.

Another important tactic for mobile marketing and advertising is to ensure that the brand-awareness messaging is consistent across all media, including mobile.

The challenge lies in creating messaging that works on a big screen such as a TV or computer but that is also easily identifiable on a small handset.

The final piece of advice...is to follow the trends in the mobile space related to marketing, advertising and technology.

-Jordan Crook

Mallfinder Expands Retail SMS Mobile Marketing Solution

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Shopping centers have been ripe for mobile marketing integration for a long time, especially with the proliferation of location-based services and the devices they run on.

We recently covered General Growth Properties, one of the largest networks of malls in the US, and their introduction of a mobile marketing solution powered by mobisix to engage shoppers with relevant offers and information as they shop. Today marks the release of a similar solution from Mallfinder aimed at providing an all-inclusive solution for shopping centers backed by lots of research and SMS trials to see what works the best in these types of situations.

Built solely for use in shopping centers, Mallfinders SMS-based solutions include Instant Win, Sweepstakes and Loyalty Club Blast campaigns.

Mallfinder has seen success with its award-winning social shopping community dubbed Shoptopia, and also plans to introduce a mobile version of the site to coincide with the release of its new mobile marketing solutions.

Mallfinders new offerings come on the heels of recently completed SMS campaign trials on behalf of several clients, and also the launch of mobile web versions of twenty shopping center websites the company manages on behalf of Forest City Enterprises. In addition, the company used data from a recent Universal McCann study which indicates that 81% of smart-phone users interact with mobile media while shopping. The study also revealed that 53% of smart-phone users click on ads and 35% request more information or a coupon. Utilizing the data and experiences from this research, Mallfinder created its new solution to be an all-inclusive shopping center marketing platform.

Blockbuster and Motorola Make Movies Mobile

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Blockbuster is taking full swings at rival Netflix with its latest digital deal - a partnership with Motorola to bring movies to your mobile phone. But the move may be too little too late, if rumors prove true that Netflix is readying to send movies to Apple's iPhone.

Earlier this week, Blockbuster announced that it teamed up with Samsung to deliver movies to your front door. Todays Motorola deal showcases the importance of mobile in any strategy to give consumers anytime access to content.

“Mobile video entertainment is exploding, as consumers are demanding the widest selection of content,” Christy Wyatt, Blockbusters vice president of software platforms, applications and ecosystem, told the Dallas Business Journal.

Blockbuster will feature its BlockBuster OnDemand movie download service on select Motorola phones. Those phones, the company says, will offer an exclusive Blockbuster OnDemand application, providing on-the-go download access to a digital library of thousands of current Blockbuster OnDemand movies.

For Motorola, the deal is a sign of the company trying desperately to regain some market share, writes Don Reisinger of cNET. He adds that even though Motorolas appeal might grow due to its deal to deliver Googles Android phones, the competition with Apples slick and iTunes-ready iPhone is an uphill battle.

Asia To Lead World In Mobile Marketing Spend By 2012

A new report by ABI Research has determined that the Asia Pacific region will lead the world in mobile marketing spend within the next 2-3 years.

Out of the overall global figure of $16 billion being spent on mobile marketing efforts, nearly half - or $7.7 billion - will be spent in the Asia Pacific region alone. Its been no secret that Asian countries lead the world in mobile technology in general, but seeing such high numbers in regards to mobile marketing is still surprising.

A large part of the equation is the fact that most broadband-enabled countries like Japan and South Korea have successfully integrated mobile and the Internet, and done so on a very large scale. This high level of mobile advancement has also meant that things like SMS text messaging, downloading of ad supported games and applications, as well as the mobile Web have been adopted widely and quickly by its consumers. People learned to use these services and rapidly built them into their lifestyles.

Mobile marketing demands a new way of thinking about ad-campaigns when it comes to consumers, and those in Asian countries are already immersed in new mobile technologies and have been utilizing them for much longer than in other countries. This makes for a very desirable audience for brands wanting to utilize mobile in their ad-campaigns, thus spending much more of their budgets on mobile.

The Asia Pacific region will undoubtedly become the testing ground for several mobile marketing methods that, if successful, will make their way into other parts of the world.

Things like mobile barcodes, image recognition and other new-age mobile technologies have already been widely successful in countries like Japan and South Korea, and are just now making their way to North America and other parts of the world.

Rolling Stones Mobile Content To Be Created

A well-known music merchandising company has been tapped to create and distribute merchandise for the Rolling Stones.

The announcement was not unexpected, as an agreement between Bravado (under the auspices of UMG) and the Rolling Stones was recently revealed.

The deal will cover both future albums by the Stones and their expansive catalog to date.

For now, you can expect to find such albums as Sticky Fingers, Exile On Main St. and Black And Blue, and hits Brown Sugar, Angie, Its Only Rock N Roll and Start Me Up.

Building on that legelndary library, Bravado said in a statement that it will create innovative and fully-integrated product offerings that make use of the widest possible array of their merchandising, audio and visual content across a variety of platforms including physical, mobile and online.

Throughout their storied career, The Rolling Stones have created one of the worlds most seminal and awe-inspiring bodies of work, and we are delighted to welcome them to the Bravado family, stated a representative for Bravado. Moving forward, we are looking forward to integrating all of the resources we now have on hand - from their
merchandising to all of their audio and video content - to create dynamic new opportunities that combine music and merchandise in unique exclusive formats, sold to not only existing retailers but to new exciting non-traditional outlets.

MobCoupons: New Mobile Coupons Allow Merchants To Be Green While Helping Customers Save Green

New and unique text message coupons delivered right to consumers' phones are both economically wise and environmentally correct.

Plantation, FL (PRWEB) August 7, 2009 -- AdKing.com announces a new product that is providing an excellent opportunity for local businesses to cash in on two of the hottest consumer trends - coupons and the need to be green. Mobile Coupons give retail shops, restaurants, and other businesses the ability to send text message coupons directly to their customers. MobCoupons are sent digitally via cell phones and therefore are earth-friendly.

Promotional coupons have surged tremendously in popularity in light of the recent economic challenges. The current climate has contributed greatly to the increased demand and frequent use of promotional coupons for all types of purchases. Business owners have long respected and utilized the ROI inherent with coupons. With the proliferation of cell phones throughout the U.S., it is a timely opportunity to combine coupons and mobile phones for the benefit of both businesses and consumers.

Merchants and consumers alike can agree that unlike traditional coupons, the new MobCoupons is a green marketing tool, a desirable and sustainable alternative to ordinary coupons. The low 1%-2% redemption rate of paper coupons is a wasteful use of natural resources. Mobile coupon redemption rates always top that of traditional coupons, since mobile coupons are never lost or forgotten at home.

MobCoupons boasts a new and unique delivery system; one that enables a consumer to request an instant mobile coupon via SMS, as well as the ability to subscribe to automatic updates. Instant MobCoupons can be requested for a one-time redemption, either alone or in conjunction with other advertising support such as print, radio, Internet or TV. The subscription process enables the advertiser to build a vibrant database of VIP customers, at the same time rewarding them for their continued patronage.

MobCoupons sets itself apart from other mobile services by offering flat-rate unlimited text messaging, with absolutely no per-message fees. There are currently more than 270 million mobile phone users in America, and MobCoupons gives businesses the ability to offer instant coupons on-the-go as well as giving subscribers the discounts they desire.

"This juncture of mobile phones, unlimited texting plans and a challenged economy all add up to business looking for an affordable, innovative, and personal way to embrace their customers," states Benjamin Deleon, president of Plantation, Fla.-based Brandel, Inc., the parent company of AdKing.com and MobCoupons. "Mobile is the smart solution - both green and cost effective." Mr. Deleon continues, "And we are proud of the 100% permission-based marketing policy of MobCoupons, ensuring consumers will only receive the text messages they request."

AdKing.com caters to entrepreneurs, publishers, marketers, resellers, and Web designers seeking to start their own mobile advertising business and offer text message-based as well as other mobile advertising services to business owners, professionals, individuals, and institutions anywhere in the world.

Done right, email prospects flourish

by Jere Doyle

ADOTAS — As brands look to engage consumers online, marketers are re-discovering the value of email marketing.

Emailing your in-house list is now the number one or two top online marketing tactic to drive sales. And it makes sense. Who better to target and engage than the very consumers who have asked for more information about your brand? Growing lists of quality customer names is more important than ever, and becoming a crucial part of every brand’s marketing mix, presenting opportunities for online performance marketing companies.

Within the last few years, brands have turned to online performance marketing companies to grow their inhouse email lists to help them engage consumers in a meaningful way. Sometimes referred to as “Co-Registration,” the leading and more reputable performance marketers are now employing the next generation of consumer engagement and opt-in. I call this “Non-organic Consumer Acquisition”, and it presents a real viable option to successfully add a large quantity of quality names to your in-house lists, thus delivering high ROI.
Co‐Registration fared well in the ExactTarget study, especially compared to other commonly used non‐organic customer acquisition tactics such as list rental and email appends. 78% of email marketers who have used coregistration in the past will continue to do so in the year ahead (see figure 1a), compared to 63% for list rental and 67% for email appends.

Five practices that will lead to much higher quality registrations are:

1. Single Brand Registration: Make sure that consumers register for brands email list one advertiser at a time. In fact, this is why I don’t like the name Co-Registration. The best consumer acquisition programs drive users to exclusive landing pages, and ask the consumer to input their information for each specific list they are subscribing to. Live by the rule that consumers opt-in one advertiser at a time.

2. Give Value, Not Coercion: Make sure that consumers are not falsely coerced to join your email list in any way. Present real value and allow the consumers to decide if they want to opt-in to your list.

3. Never, Ever Share Data: Be certain that there is a clear policy never to share data with any other company - and make that policy clear to your consumers.

4. The Right People on the Right List: Make sure your partner is using the most sophisticated targeting methods so that the right consumers are driven to sign up for your email list. At Prospectiv, we’ve seen a lot of success using PrismPro™, our proprietary technology that ensures consumers only see offers that are relevant to them.

5. Track and Evaluate: Be sure you track where all of the consumers who are subscribing to your list are originating from, and evaluate the performance of the source on a timely basis.

Unfortunately, not all Co-Registration campaigns are run the same way. Co‐Registration has gotten a somewhat poor reputation within the industry because of some questionable and even aggressive practices by certain performance marketing companies. “Using ‘one advertiser at a time’ method help ensure that customers acquired through co-registration are qualified and likely to return a high ROI,” shared Stewart.

Sticking to the practices above will maximize the quality of registrations and safeguard your email marketing investments.

McDonald's taps mobile for McCafe Mocha promotion

By Giselle Tsirulnik

McDonald’s has launched its first mobile marketing campaign that specifically targets the Hispanic demographic while on the go.

Customers who visit a McDonald’s restaurant on Mondays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. can get a free seven-ounce Iced McCafé Mocha or an eight-ounce Hot McCafé Mocha. The campaign runs through Aug. 21.

“McDonald’s wanted to foster a relationship with potential and current consumers via mobile,” said Marcus Startzel. “In order to connect with these consumers, they leveraged our mobile reach, knowing that we could scale the reach to aggregate an audience for McDonald’s to promote their new McCafé Mocha product in an engaging manner.”

McDonald’s is using the ad network to engage the mobile Hispanic community in New York City in a language-targeted mobile ad campaign.

Based on the strategy set by McDonald’s agency, d expósito & Partners, Millennial is running banner ads directing the target audience to a campaign landing page to collect opt-ins for four SMS alerts reminders about the free McCafé Mochas and two local events.

Consumers that opt-in will be alerted to locations offering free McCafé Mocha samplings.

This isn’t the first time McDonald’s has turned to the mobile channel for a promotion.

McDonald's Corp. launched a new integrated Web-to-mobile campaign to promote its McRib sandwich.

“We continue to see great activity in the mobile retail promotions,” Mr. Startzel said. “Advertisers who want to reach their consumers while they are out living their lives utilize mobile to drive action.

“In this case, McDonald’s wanted to steer consumers into a local New York City store to sample a product,” he said. “McDonald’s likely also knows that consumer behavior around food and beverage consumption, in this case, coffee, is somewhat engrained in our daily routines.

“Enticing consumers in an uncluttered ad market to try a new product and even want to change behavior to drive people to try a new product and into a McDonalds via mobile engagement is extremely strategic.“

Wireless gives local merchants access to college students

By Chris Harnick | August 4, 2009

Hothand Wireless is giving advertisers targeted exposure to the back-to-school college student market via a mobile advertising and coupons platform.

University Mobile Network will be used at 50 campuses this fall with a goal of 100 campuses and a student body of 2.5 million young adults. The University Mobile Network is sharing revenues with participating campuses and giving advertisers access to the coveted college student demographic.

“Our program is geared to the mobile Web and we believe it is truly the future of mobile marketing,” said Tim Leets, chief marketing officer at Hothand, Mission Viejo, CA. “SMS can be too much information hitting the customer. With the mobile Web platform the audience gets access to information when they want it.”

Hothand is a platform and application that is free for universities and college students. Sponsors and merchants subsidize the mobile network via banners and mobile coupon offers.

Students, like those at Arizona State University, UCLA and Cornell University, can sign up to receive messages and updates from their schools about recreational sports and other alerts.

The service combines the mobile Web with text messaging and email, allowing for students to be reached anywhere.

The platform provides universities with a vehicle to deliver timely information to the university community on their mobile phones.

Advertisers are able to target consumers via banner ads and hot deals, which include mobile coupons and offers from local merchants trying to get their message to college students.

College students can search the Hothand Merchant Network for coupons and money-saving deals. For example, a student who is low on cash and is hungry can find a mobile coupon for a local restaurant.

Targeting college students via mobile is not something new since students are known for avid mobile usage.