Audi lets consumers take test drive on mobile

By Giselle Abramovich

August 22, 2008

Good carma

Automobile manufacturer Audi of America has launched a mobile application for the iPhone to introduce its new Audi A4 luxury sports car.

Audi is using the iPhone motion sensor to let consumers steer a digital version of the new A4. Factory Design Labs designed the game titled, “Audi A4 Challenge.”

“We are right in the middle of the A4 launch and mobile is a great way to interact with consumers,” said Jeri Ward, general manager of marketing and strategy at Audi, New York. “We are using television slots for broad awareness, and to reach our tech-savvy, sophisticated consumers we turned to the iPhone.”

Audi agency Factory Design Labs is a Denver, CO-based interactive shop. Besides Audi, other clients include Oakley and The North Face.

The A4 Challenge lets players maneuver the course and race against the clock to beat their own personal best time.

Steering feel

The 2009 A4 is promised to be bigger, faster and more efficient than the previous models. It is jam-packed with luxury, leather and technology.

Audi A4 Challenge is free and available on Apple’s iPhone App Store.

The vehicle itself will be available in September.

Audi has also launched a site that allows users to experience and learn more about the car.

Consumers can go to http://www.truthinengineering.com/a4/iphone from the iPhone to access content such as videos, wallpapers, an exterior color customizer, a dealer locator link and a link to install the application.

With this initiative, Audi is targeting smart, sophisticated consumers who tend to be early adopters as well.

“With A4 being such a high-volume product, we are trying to introduce new consumers to the brand,” Ms. Ward said. “Our customers tend to be more tech-savvy and use the Internet for automotive research.”

Ms. Ward also said that Audi is targeting consumers 25-54, but with that demographic, people like to try more things, are leaders in auto-buying and are early adopters.

The application will be promoted using more traditional media such as online banners on Audi sites.

“Mobile is a unique way to engage consumers with the brand and highlight things that are core to the A4’s acceleration and its overall performance as a vehicle,” Ms. Ward said.

“We have various links on our site to drive the use of the widget,” she said.

Ms. Ward expects that as people download the application, it will be marketed virally.

“Mobile is very consistent with our progressive DNA,” Ms. Ward said.

“Our cars progress and so do our marketing approaches,” she said.

NBC adds interactivity to Olympic WAP site

By Gabrielle Kalika

August 13, 2008

NBC Olympics gets feedback via mobile

NBC Universal is enabling interactive survey features on its Olympics WAP site.

NBC has tapped MobileVerbs’ mobile on-demand platform to let visitors to its Olympics WAP site click on a banner which links them to an active poll or survey. NBC’s research team will then gain immediate access to users survey results and visitor feedback in real-time via a hosted dashboard.

“With NBC we have put together a mobile service for the NBC Olympic WAP site with which they can collect feedback and responses from the target audience,” said Parmeet Chaddha, founder/CEO of MobileVerbs Inc., Freemont, CA. “We are using the platform to set up the serving capabilities.

“The results are being delivered in-real time so as people are giving in their results, the results are being immediately delivered to the market research team,” he said.

The on-demand mobile marketing service from MobileVerbs will allow wireless market research capability on NBC’s Olympics WAP site.

Due to this software, the NBC campaign response is reported to have significantly grown, which illuminates the benefits of using mobile marketing to reach target users.

Mr. Chaddah also said that the key element here is to quickly receive and deliver information to and from consumers.

“From the time NBC contacted us to set up this particular service capability, they were really looking for results to respond in real time, in order to track user responses. It took no more than two hours to set it all up,” he said.

“For consumers it is having the ability to really get their feedback in terms of results and alerts, and how it will be useful,” he said. “This way they get what they want, and NBC sees higher consumption.”

The MobileVerbs platform is said to be unique because of its Situational Relevance Engine, which allows marketers to target their campaigns to wireless users' current context, so that the ads consumers receive are relevant to their current situation.

In addition, the service provides analytics and campaign performance results in real-time. All campaigns and interactive mobile programs are setup within hours from a hosted campaign management tool, without any programming or codes necessary. The campaigns are delivered via email, SMS, MMS, WAP or Web.

MobileVerbs' mobile marketing services cater to various media markets such as digital marketing agencies, direct marketers, media brands, and youth-focused retail brands.

“Obviously it’s a very critical opportunity for us,” Mr. Chaddah said. “We are a young company so this is a huge proposition.

“We will be enabling NBC to deliver highly interactive mobile campaigns, set up in literally hours,” he said. “The way we position our company is a one stop shop mobile platform, so whatever kind of service you are, our platform really supports the entire lifestyle of mobile.”

Editorial Assistant Gabrielle Kalika covers banking and payments, commerce, content, database/CRM, media and music. Reach her at gab.kal@hotmail.com.

Beam's Hornitos tequila runs mobile marketing campaign

By Dan Butcher

August 14, 2008

Taking the bull by the Hornitos

Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc.'s Hornitos tequila is using mobile to engage its technologically-savvy consumers and increase brand awareness.

Hornitos partnered with BuyYourFriendADrink.com to offer consumers the opportunity to buy Hornitos cocktails for friends via mobile phone or email. The media partners for the "Buy Your Amigos Hornitos" campaign are Valueclick, Askmen.com, Break.com, ESPN Deportes, Going.com, Playboy.com and Yahoo.

“The strategy behind the program is to get consumers to talk about Hornitos in the bar, get them to buy it for each other and get new people to sample the product,” said Gary Ross, associate brand manager for Sauza, the Deerfield, IL-based tequila devision of Beam. “Our target demographic is men roughly 25 to 34 who identify more with a premium brand.

“We like to focus on cutting-edge technology like mobile, because we know they are using it,” he said.

Location-sensitive entertainment listings service buzzd is implementing the campaign on mobile.

Tequila sunrises on mobile

Legal purchase-age consumers can use their mobile phones to visit the mobile site at http://Hornitos.mobi or the Hornitos Web site at http://www.BuyYourAmigoHornitos.com to send a personalized note and prepaid gift card to friends.

Beam claims the mobile site is the first-ever to let consumers buy their friends drinks.

Hornitos has agreements with 115 participating bars in 14 different large U.S. markets: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, NC, Chicago, Denver, Houston, New Orleans, New York, Scottsdale, AZ, Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington, DC, Chicago and Dallas.

This program is open to any bar or restaurant that wants to join.

Hornitos partnered with BuyYourFriendADrink.com to build this program, which allows gift recipients to receive their drink gift via email, gift card or text message.

With the text-messaging capability, users can access their gifts via mobile phone while at participating bars or restaurants.

Gift recipients can find out which bars and restaurants in their area accept the gift cards and codes either online or on the mobile site.

“This is our first time running a mobile marketing campaign,” Mr. Ross said. “We have other cutting-edge-technology marketing programs and we hope to continue to expand on them going forward.”

Last year, Hornitos launched one of the brand’s most aggressive advertising and re-positioning campaigns in years, supported by a $15 million marketing spend.

“We do print advertising for the brand, but the call to action for this campaign has an online focus,” Mr. Ross said. “We’re running some online media placements driving people to our dedicated site, working with brands like AskMen.com and Playboy.com to post banner ads, both static and rich media.”

Hornitos is also tagging national print advertisements with 2D codes in Playboy magazine with a note to consumers saying “Scan the code. Get the girl.”

By using the scanning program on a mobile phone, legal purchase age consumers can snap an image of the bar code located in the print advertising and be taken directly to a site featuring a bonus picture of Miss July.

Consumers can visit m.hornitostequila.com to download the free software for mobile phones.

Hornitos, originally available as a Reposado tequila, unveiled two additional variants—Hornitos Plata and Hornitos Añejo.

Hornitos also introduced its “sip, shoot and savor” strategy in direct response to an evolving category and consumer demand for a Hornitos variant for all consumption occasions.

“Sip, shoot and savor” educates consumers on the diversity of tequila: Hornitos Plata is versatile enough for mixed drinks, Hornitos Reposado can be enjoyed as a shot and Hornitos Añejo should be sipped.

In addition to Hornitos, Beam Global Spirits & Wine’s brands include Jim Beam bourbon, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Maker's Mark bourbon, Laphroaig Scotch whisky, Larios gin, Whisky DYC, Teacher's Scotch whisky, DeKuyper cordials and liqueurs, Knob Creek bourbon and Starbucks liqueurs.

“Our consumers are obviously very big users of mobile technology,” Mr. Ross said. “The ability to share Hornitos with a friend, wherever they are, is a very appealing part of the program.”

Staff Reporter Dan Butcher covers banking and payments, carrier networks, commerce, database/CRM, manufacturers, music and software and technology. Reach him at dan@mobilemarketer.com.

A|X Armani Exchange debuts SMS campaign

August 20, 2008

Wielding a mobile A|X

Luxury retailer A|X Armani Exchange is doing a text-to-win promotion to compile a database of names for future SMS marketing.

The “A/X $1,000 Shopping Spree Sweepstakes” call to action can be found on the retailer’s shopping bag. It asks customers to text the keyword AX to short code 276264 for a chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree.

“For retailers, mobile adds the notion of accountability and gives retailers a CRM spine,” said Conrad Lisco, creative director at 5th Finger, New York. “The channel can help retailers create a means for unique interaction outside the store.”

5th Finger does not handle the A|X Armani Exchange effort.

Once consumers text in, they receive this message: "Welcome to TEXT AX! Msgs up to 3x/mo. Std. carrier rates may apply. To opt in, reply w/Zip Code. To opt out, text STOP. For more info, text HELP."

More money for Armani

Once consumers reply with their ZIP code to opt in, they are entered into the sweepstakes.

After they have entered, the double opt-in comes into play.

Participants are asked to reply WIN to further confirm their interest in the sweepstakes.

The confirmation text tells participants to visit the sweepstakes' dedicated microsite for more information.

The winner will be drawn randomly Oct. 30.

Opted-in consumers are also added to a database of names and sent special SMS promotions up to three times a month.

“I applaud brands that are now getting into mobile because they are truly paving the way for other retailers to jump onto the bandwagon,” Mr. Lisco said. “Most brands know mobile is going to be big, but they are looking for examples of the channel in use to better understand.

“Education and better understanding of the channel will break the barriers and pull more retailers in,” he said.

A|X Armani Exchange did not return calls to confirm who is powering this text initiative.

Armani Exchange is the youthful label created by Italian designer and entrepreneur Giorgio Armani.

With Armani Exchange, Mr. Armani created a casual, yet sophisticated collection for the young, urban and sexy.

The brand designs, manufactures, distributes and retails fashion and lifestyle products, including apparel, accessories, eyewear, watches, jewelry and music.

“Mobile is helping retailers connect with consumers through an interactive brand-building experience and by offering information at different points in the purchasing process,” said Lars Albright, vice president of business development with Quattro Wireless, Waltham, MA.

“For example, some retailers offer detailed product reviews that can be used in-store during the shopping process for access to instant information,” he said.

“Other retailers are promoting SMS text clubs and sweepstakes through mobile to help further deepen the relationship between the consumer and the brand."

Armani Exchange is not the first luxury retail brand to go mobile.

Polo not solo
Just last week, Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. launched a mobile commerce service to let consumers buy products through their handsets.

Ralph Lauren claims to be one of the first luxury retailers nationwide to launch a mobile commerce site and incorporate Quick Response codes in advertisements (see story).

Also, leading luxury brand Dolce & Gabbana has proved that mobile advertising is effective as well as fashionable by running a mobile campaign on the Nokia Media Network.

The D&G mobile effort demonstrates that brands that have relied on traditional forms of media are now benefiting from the targeting and high response rates that mobile offers.

The D&G campaign promoted the brand’s teen-focused fashion catalog, while increasing awareness during the Men’s Fashion Show in Milan, Italy in June.

The banners led consumers to a D&G mobile Internet site where they could download a branded game to their handset, as well as view a catalog and download branded wallpaper.

D&G's mobile campaign received an average click-through rate of almost 10 percent (see story).

“Generally, retailers are finding that mobile advertising is an effective new medium to help them reach new consumers and build their brand," Quattro's Mr. Albright said.

Retail is an industry that probably has the most to gain from mobile marketing, said Michael Foschetti, managing director of mobile marketing firm mobisix, Charlotte, NC.

Mobile has the power to deliver exclusive offers to opt-in consumers and drive in-store traffic as well.

Still, most retail brands have been slow to adopt mobile.

“Messaging offers the greatest opportunity today for delivering messages from retail brands to opt-in subscribers,” Mr. Foschetti said. “It's simple, ubiquitous and measurable."

He also said that SMS adoption across all demographic groups creates scale.

More than half of all text messages are sent by people over 35.

“Armani's entrance into the mobile space underscores that top retail brands across segments should consider mobile, not just brands catering to teen audiences,” Mr. Foschetti said.

“Retail brands, or other stakeholders in the space, should focus their mobile strategies on what would create the most value for all stakeholders - sales,” he said.

Associate Editor Giselle Abramovich covers ad networks, advertising, content, email, media, messaging, legal/privacy, search, social networks, television and video. Reach her at giselle@mobilemarketer.com.

Law logs on to chat rooms

The head of the MXit social networking site has defended his site amid the furore concerning "slut" lists - but The Sunday Independent has learnt that MXit and other such services will be regulated under amendments to be passed to the Film and Publications Act.

Iyavar Chetty, the acting head of the Film and Publications Board, said, once the amendments were passed into law, all social networking sites would be required to monitor their services closely to ensure they were not dealing with any kind of behaviour in chat rooms that would lead to the abuse of children.

"If there is any evidence that the sites are not complying with the legal obligations, prosecution will follow," he said.

Chetty conceded that policing such sites, popular among teenagers, on a 24-hour basis was impossible. Instead, there would be a reliance on a "sense of social responsibility" on the part of users and the people who run the sites.

"They have not demonstrated that they are policing it to conclude that there is no risk to vulnerable children. Because [of this] the government has been compelled to take limited measures," he said.

Chetty was adamant these measures would not see the government or any authorities prying into the privacy of individuals. But, he said, it would be expected of operators of sites to have monitors who would be able to identify signs of potential abusive behaviour and to take steps to block people from entering sites.

Herman Heunis, MXit's chief executive officer, this week defended the five-year-old free instant messaging service saying there were sufficient security measures in place.

MXit has about 9-million members in 120 countries, and the number is growing, with more than 10 000 South Africans registering as new users on the site daily. Five percent of subscribers use the chat room facility. About 250-million messages are sent a day.

Heunis said it was because of security measures and monitors that the service provider was able to act almost immediately to stop the defamatory "slut" and "bastard" lists that had circulated in person-to-person communications among users in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.

He believed the latest "list" debacle had been blown out of proportion. While he did not know the real number of defamatory lists circulated, indications were that they numbered more than 270.

"We investigated every complaint and communicated with the complainants. Over 30 were received initially and we deleted every single list off the network," he said.

Reintroducing payment for the forwarding of messages as one of the measures to halt the spread of the lists had seen a 98 percent drop in forwarded messages. "It stopped that chain letter effect," said Heunis. "What do people expect us to do? Must we monitor every message that goes out? That is illegal. People have a right to privacy."

But he admitted that, because the internet was continually developing, criminals would find a way to abuse the system. "People should realise that … if you insult someone on the internet you can be sued."

The company's website also contained information and tips for parents, safety tips for children and a list of the 10 most important security measures to remember.

Heunis said he was saddened by what he believed was a witch-hunt against a service that was aimed at getting people to communicate.

He was especially upset by allegations that MXit's management had known for years that the service was being abused by the youth and criminals. In the past year, a number of teenage girls had gone missing after meeting people via MXit.

Heunis emphasised that these, and other problems that had arisen, originated from the public chat rooms, and only in instances where the user had not abided by the rules.

"Revealing personal information in any public chat room is extremely irresponsible as the possibility of criminal elements being present is a reality. It becomes dangerous when people who meet in public chat rooms agree to meet in person and various newspaper reports all over the world have borne witness to this.

"The brutal reality is that criminal elements worldwide have been on the internet for years and, unfortunately, MXit is not spared this evil."

He said the latest scandal did not involve the chat rooms, but the facility that enabled users to send attachments, such as pictures or messages written and saved in MXit.

But Chetty questioned the effectiveness of MXit's security measures. "There have been reports of abuse of the MXit site for over a year. Parents have been complaining. If MXit was only alerted to problems because of what happened in recent weeks, then there is no reason to believe that they have adequate measures in place," he said.

While he and Jody Kollapen of the Human Rights Commission believed that social networking and instant messaging services were important communication tools with a lot of potential for education and entertainment, they also believed those who ran them should do more to ensure they were not abused.

"In providing a service that has got the potential to be abused and damage peoples' lives there must be a parallel programme to address such [matters]," said Chetty.

Kollapen said he would like to see site owners focusing on educating parents on how to monitor what their children were doing on the internet.


This article was originally published on page 3 of Sunday Independent on August 10, 2008

Coca-Cola runs mobile campaign for Coke Zero, loyalty program

By Giselle Abramovich

August 4, 2008

Zero to hero

Coca-Cola Co. is running a mobile campaign via the ChaCha mobile answer service to generate interest in its loyalty program and Coke Zero soft drink.

The soft drinks giant is one of ChaCha’s first advertisers. ChaCha has been charged with enabling a conversational relationship between Coca-Cola and the millions of users of its answer service.

“Since our launch we have experienced explosive growth,” said Jay Highley, chief marketing officer of ChaCha, Indianapolis, IN. “This growth made us realize that we have the power to help advertisers by letting them target our audience.”

Coca-Cola and ChaCha kicked off their mobile marketing engagement at the Allstate Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 27.

With targeted responses and event-based marketing, Coca-Cola engaged users in a new and innovative relationship to encourage interactive conversations.

Using ChaCha’s service to deploy ads, Coca-Cola so far has seen a 5.2 percent click-through rate, compared to 1 percent to 2 percent industry averages.

In addition, Coca-Cola will gain a deeper understanding of its consumers as well as a simple way to track usage patterns and customer data during the campaign.

Here’s how it works.

Users can call 1-800-2CHACHA or text questions to ChaCha (242 242) on mobile phones and receive answers within minutes.

After receiving a text back with the answers, users receive another text with the Coca-Cola promotion.
The promotion encourages users to join the My Coke rewards program and to try out the Coke Zero soft drink.

The SMS also includes a link to the My Coke Rewards WAP site.

ChaCha is helping Coca-Cola transform traditional and static advertising into dynamic mobile campaigns, in-venue mobile marketing and targeted offers to most mobile phone users regardless of their handset type.

The service couples ChaCha’s Mobile Answers – claimed as the fastest growing mobile application in the world, attracting a new user every 10 seconds – with analytics and reporting.

This way, marketers such as Coca-Cola can engage consumers and stay top of mind with relevant, personalized mobile information about its brand, products and promotions.

ChaCha’s demographic is unique in that 53 percent are repeat users, the company claims. Also, 83 percent consider the service to be very valuable.

The average user uses ChaCha over 30 times per month. Eighty-eight percent hear about the service from a friend.

Users are ages 18-34 and use the service socially and for utilitarian purposes.

“Our service is unique because our users trust our brand, making them more receptive to advertisiements served through our services,” Mr. Highley said.

"The Coke campaign is our flagship and was targeted in terms of geography,” he said. “We believe this campaign is a significant extension of other branding and marketing initiatives because we allow for a very intimate, one-on-one relationship.

“For advertisers we are basically creating an opportunity for them to reach, talk with and engage our loyal user base. The ads are part of the user’s interaction and are not intrusive at all. Our advertisers get great reach.”

Mobile Marketer's Classic Guide to Mobile Advertising

August 11, 2008

Mobile Marketer's Classic Guide to Mobile Advertising

Welcome to the first edition of Mobile Marketer’s Classic Guide to Mobile Advertising.

Targeting advertisers, media planners and buyers, agency executives, publishers, teleservices pros, carrier officials and service providers, this guide is chock-full of information on how to conceive, execute and analyze mobile ad campaigns.

Mobile advertising is at a critical juncture in its history. Marketers have expressed interest in reaching consumers on the go through opted-in marketing, advertising and promotions. But not too many know their way around this latest wing of the multichannel marketing industry.

This guide aims to solve that problem.

Senior executives from key advertising agencies, service providers, site developers, ad networks, analytics companies, email specialists, search marketing firms and publishers have contributed time and wisdom to put together a how-to guide for seasoned practitioners and first-timers.

The list of contributors to this guide includes representatives from Bango, Limbo, Crisp Wireless, Havas Digital’s Mobext, Enliven Marketing Technologies, AdMob, Telescope, Mobisix, Return Path, 5th Finger, QuickPlay Media, Avot Media, Medio Systems, Pivotal Veracity, Greystripe, Zumobi, Range Online Media and Steak Media.

Also on that list are executives from Quattro Wireless, go2 Media, Omnicom's Prometheus, AdaptiveMobile, Safecount, Dynamic Logic, MRI-The Boston Group, GoTV Network, SiteSpect, Velti, Acision, Interpublic Group of Companies Inc.’s Draftfcb and Air2Web.

The articles offer best-practice tips, educational points of view and analysis. The case study on Johnson & Johnson is worth reading, as is the research on measuring ad effectiveness on the mobile Web.

Mobile Marketer’s Giselle Abramovich scored a scoop with her detailed feature on Playboy’s plans for mobile. The publisher offers a decent roadmap for most of its peers, highlighting the potential of leveraging content and advertising across several channels including mobile.

Another outstanding feature is the extensive survey on global mobile marketing trends as seen by key Draftfcb officers worldwide.

Draftfcb is known for its branding and direct marketing expertise. So the agency was well suited to deliver a fairly accurate snapshot of mobile advertising and marketing’s prospects this year and in the future.

It’s no exaggeration to say that mobile advertising is about to revolutionize the way that marketers reach out to consumers for branding or customer acquisition or customer retention purposes.

Of course, it bears keeping in mind that the mobile channel is the most personal of all, so extra caution is advised while devising and deploying mobile ad campaigns. Each ad or campaign must respect the consumer’s privacy, while making sure that the advertiser’s brand experience is not diluted.

But there is no doubt that a well-targeted mobile ad campaign will strengthen bonds between brand and consumer. The ads must lead to information or offers of value to the consumer. Keep them simple, keep them straight and keep them results-oriented.

The authors of the 30-plus articles in this guide play a vital role in the mobile advertising, marketing and media ecosystem. Their insights and analysis will help you in your mobile advertising efforts as you work on your multichannel outreach plans. Reach out to them and those companies featured on every page of this guide.

To Giselle Abramovich, Dan Butcher, Gabby Kalika and Jodie Solomon – many thanks for their help in making Mobile Marketer the preeminent publication covering mobile marketing, media and commerce.

Also, thank you to marketing consultant Rob DiGioia for his art direction on this guide. It is a labor of love that shows in word and image.

Please read Mobile Marketer’s Classic Guide to Mobile Advertising from cover to cover and circulate to colleagues, clients and prospects. Please also visit http://www.mobilemarketer.com and sign up for our free newsletters that offer the latest news and analysis on mobile marketing, media and commerce.

We hope you benefit from this guide and look forward to featuring your mobile advertising wisdom and work in the next.