A Big Year for Mobile Marketing in The Hispanic Community

Posted by michael on Jan 26, 2009 in Mobile Marketing

Since I was first given the privilege of blogging for Mobile Marketing Watch, I have been very mindful of mobile marketers targeting new and more diverse audiences. Today, at the onset of a new year, it’s clear that the Hispanic audience will be a primary target of some of the largest mobile marketing campaigns in the works.

As an article in the new AdAge magazine reports, Hispanics, the country’s largest and fastest-growing ethnic minority, are becoming a “sought-after target for mobile advertisers as brands connect the dots between the group’s receptiveness to advertising and its heavy mobile usage.”

Until now, telecommunications and automotive advertisers have been the primary sellers to Hispanics through the mobile channel, but other categories are coming on board. As it now stands, brands including Continental Airlines, General Mills, Sears, Kmart and Tag Heuer will be working in the first quarter to launch Latino-centric mobile campaigns.

“Marketers now have significant Hispanic investment objectives written into their plans,” said Eric Bader, managing partner of Brand in Hand, which has executed Hispanic-targeted campaigns for major consumer brands.

The advantage for marketers is that Hispanics are particularly receptive to receiving pitches. According to the AdAge piece, 6% of Hispanics interact with text-messaging campaigns vs. 3% of non-Hispanics. Mobile ad network Quattro averages about three page views per user but well over four on its Hispanic network.

Many marketers expect rising incremental budgets as brands look to integrate mobile into Hispanic-centric campaigns. Ad network JumpTap predicted Hispanic-centric campaigns would quadruple this year, with revenue increasing at least 20% in the segment.

For anyone interested in the full discussion of mobile marketing to the Hispanic audience, check out the new AdAge Magazine.

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Dealer.com is Driving a New Endeavor

Posted by michael on Jan 27, 2009 in Mobile Marketing | No Comments

Dealer.com, a somewhat well known veteran provider of online marketing solutions to the automotive industry, today announced the launch of mobile-specific dealership websites, designed for use on hand-held devices.

Although their pitch sounds a lot like others - “the new mobile web solution lets on-the-go shoppers quickly and easily browse dealerships’ new and used online inventory and includes complete video integration” - in my opinion, this particular offering has some degree of professionalism, while other similar providers occasionally come across borderline cheesy and incomplete.

In a nutshell, this mobile-specific user interface makes it convenient for automotive consumers to find and search dealership websites at any time of day or place.

Even though quoting a company rep usually leads to little more than blatant advertising, one comment in particular from the press release - the element of staying ahead of the curve - really stood out in my mind because, essentially, a mobile marketing endeavor is practically antiqued by the time its released in this rapidly evolving industry. And unless you keep an eye toward the future and your competition, you will fall as quickly as you climb.

“We take research and development very seriously and devote significant resources to keep our dealers at the leading-edge of the most effective and relevant online marketing capabilities,” commented Rick Gibbs, Dealer.com chief technology officer. “Our dealers stay two to four years ahead of the competition. Integrating mobile media into the Dealer.com Full Spectrum Internet Marketing Solution is yet another way we’re addressing the future for dealerships. Our mobile web and video integration lets dealerships cater to the fast growing market of mobile web users, and provides additional competitive advantage.”

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MMA Now Allowing Bluetooth Spam, Sort Of

Posted by justin on Aug 28, 2008 in In The News, Proximity | 1 Comment

We recently reported that the MMA has laid out its guidelines in reference to mobile marketing via Bluetooth.� While they were mostly slated for European usage, the new guidelines more or less will set a worldwide standard once they’re finalized in the next few months.

The MMA has just announced another addition to the guidelines that in essence will allow for spamming via Bluetooth- with exceptions that is.� Their thinking is that if a consumer is walking around with their mobile device in “discoverable” mode meaning it’s wide open to receive Bluetooth connections, it’s fair game for the spammers.

The guideline states that leaving a device in “discoverable” mode is implicitly giving permission for pushed advertisements, which contradicts what the UK’s Direct Marketing Association (DMA) has stated.� The DMA’s 2005 recommendations state that users must sign up to receive messages, either by downloading an application or “pairing” with a promotional service.� The MMA, however, maintains that it’s fair to push messages out to them, then ask them to opt out if they’re not interested.

If you don’t agree with the MMA’s approach, don’t worry, nothing has been finalized as of yet.� The MMA is still taking suggestions and feedback before any final decisions will be made on or after September 26th.� If you’d like to take a look at the latest Bluetooth document released by the MMA, you can find it here.

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What’s The Best Mobile Platform/OS For Marketing?

Posted by justin on Jan 27, 2009 in Marketing Strategy

I got to thinking, after reading Microsoft’s bleak forecast for its Windows Mobile division, about what’s the best mobile platform or OS available today in terms of mobile marketing. Since the days of Windows Mobile and Symbian domination are almost over, I think it’s time to take a closer look at the myriad of options available today and rank them from a mobile advertising point of view. For all intent and purposes, let’s focus on the US mobile market for now.

To be fair, I’m not saying one is “better” than any other because each has definitive pros and cons, but from a marketing standpoint, some shine more than others. Let’s start with the options; we have Windows Mobile, Blackberry, iPhone, Android, Palm’s new OS and a variety of the classic Symbian platform, so which one is best?

Let’s start at the bottom; Symbian would be my last choice only because, as it stands right now, they’re a little behind the times in terms of application delivery and web-centric intuitiveness. With that said, Symbian has made huge strides recently to better align itself with its ever-growing competition. The launch of the Symbian Foundation in June of last year signaled its intent to simplify its offerings (S60, UIQ, MOAP) into one open-source platform. This will pave the way to things like LBS (location-based services), a more mobile-web oriented infrastructure, and so on.

Next up the list would have to be Blackberry. While Blackberry is starting a major push to a more consumer-oriented brand, they’re still more associated with enterprise than anything else. Blackberry is coming on strong with some serious advancements in terms of user interface, various applications, social media integration, etc., but it will take some time to catch up with the likes of the iPhone, Windows Mobile, or even Android.

Windows Mobile would be next on my list simply because of its history and sheer market share, for the time being that is. Windows Mobile has long been associated with web-centric devices, even though it’s still a bit limited, and is found on a vast majority of devices. From a marketing point-of-view, that’s always a good thing. Beyond that, Windows Mobile is a dieing breed. They’ve stated that the future holds great things for the platform, but they’ve more or less been left in the dust when compared to others. Microsoft’s antiquated image seems to be damaging Windows Mobile as much as elsewhere in the company.

Lastly, for first place, I’d have to go with a tie between the iPhone OS and Android. The simple fact being that while the other platforms/OSs are planning new-age technology, application delivery methods, full-web capabilities, etc., both the iPhone OS and Android are doing it now, and have been since the inception of each platform. Palm’s new OS will likely fall in this category as well, but it’s a little to early to make any judgements.

While we don’t know what the future holds for each platform, we do know what the past has proven. The mobile marketing industry is laying out the technology and mobile innovation needed to keep itself prosporous, now it’s all up to the various mobile platforms and the devices they run on. What do you think is the best mobile platform for mobile marketing?

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MOBILE MARKETING FORUM SERIES (MMF)

Mobile is on track to be the most pervasive media channel in the world. Over one billion mobile devices are sold annually, and ubiquitous consumer usage will soon make mobile the primary screen worldwide. Always on and always connected – even more than the TV and web – the mobile channel provides brands with the unique ability to connect with their consumer like never before, building a meaningful dialogue of engagement between the brand and the consumer.

With such growth come challenges to marketers: What are the best practices for all players? How do brands engage? How are other marketers maximizing the channel, and how are they gauging their success? How can mobile technologies become more standardized and accessible when incorporating them in the marketing mix?

The Mobile Marketing Association’s Mobile Marketing Forum series brings the entire mobile marketing ecosystem together under one roof. In partnership with Informa Telecoms & Media, the series brings together leading operators, brands, agencies, content providers, entertainment and media companies from around the globe to drive the momentum for mobile marketing adoption. The forums deliver the best learning and networking experience of any event in the mobile space, complete with fully interactive agendas packed with the latest brand, operator and agency case studies designed to give you the most value from your attendance. Those new to mobile will learn best practices with real-world application, and those already engaged in mobile can learn how to deploy more advanced capabilities to enhance existing mobile initiatives.

You will hear from industry thought leaders who really challenge existing thinking and drive initiatives; you can expect powerful debate and well-facilitated interaction; you will meet new partners and business connections; and you can expect to leave each event with new ideas and perspectives that will change the way you do business.

SEE WHAT MOBILE MARKETING PROFESSIONALS

HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE MMF:

“I feel so much more prepared to tackle the mobile space.”

“The Mobile Marketing Forum is a real-world opportunity to learn where this important new medium is today, and, more importantly, what’s coming next.”

"Highly informative, great networking, an absolute must for anyone interested in the huge growth potential of mobile."

“The MMA is serving a vital need in helping drive the evolution of the mobile media space.”

SPEAK AT OUR EVENTS

Become a voice in our industry! The Mobile Marketing Association's events showcase the industry's leaders who share their expertise on mobile marketing.

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MMA Leads Development of Mobile Channel, Going Global in 2008

Membership Grows by More Than 40% in 2008

New York; London, UK; Singapore and Sao Paulo, 15 December 2008 — The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) (www.mmaglobal.com) today announced that 2008 has been its most successful year yet; noting the completion of its global expansion with the addition of a Latin American branch and Local Councils in each region, as well as a massive growth in membership numbers to more than 700 at the year’s close. In addition, the MMA has created new educational tools for the numerous industry and leadership events that it has hosted throughout the year. These efforts are reflected in an overall increase in mobile marketing receptiveness and adoption amongst consumers worldwide, as demonstrated by the recent MMA Attitude and Usage Study released in November.

Significant 2008 milestones have included:

• Publication of an array of industry research, educational tools and guidelines; with participation and collaboration from MMA member companies, the MMA Committees have worked on leading educational and guideline initiatives to help drive the adoption of mobile marketing globally. These materials can be downloaded from the MMA website and include: In conjunction with research partner Synovate, the MMA has also produced its Annual Global Attitude & Usage survey; a global study of consumer attitudes towards the mobile channel, aimed to assess their interest in and receptiveness to mobile marketing. Available to members, the study covers select markets in four of the MMA’s five branches: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America.
  • Global Mobile Measurement Ad Currency Definitions
  • Global Mobile Advertising Guidelines - revised
  • Mobile Advertising Overview White Paper - revised
  • Global Code of Conduct
  • Consumer Best Practices (US) - revised
  • Introduction to Mobile Search White Paper
  • Mobile Applications White Paper
  • European Bluetooth Marketing Guidelines (opened for public review)
  • The International Journal of Mobile Marketing – June & December revisions

In conjunction with research partner Synovate, the MMA has also produced its Annual Global Attitude & Usage survey; a global study of consumer attitudes towards the mobile channel, aimed to assess their interest in and receptiveness to mobile marketing. Available to members, the study covers select markets in four of the MMA’s five branches: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America.

• Organisation of a series of global events and awards; the MMA’s Mobile Marketing Forums (MMF) were held five times in 2008; twice in North America, once in Europe and twice in Latin America. The events attracted a combined audience of more than 1400 delegates and speakers worldwide. For the first time since the inception of the global awards ceremony, the MMA recognized industry innovators and leaders from every geographic region, with a record number of submissions that spanned 12 different categories.
• Creation of a new and updated www.mmaglobal.com website; to provide better access to resources available to MMA members, an updated website was launched in November. The updated features include support for regionalized content, enhanced navigation, unique research from industry leaders, a new networking platform for members, knowledge sharing via member submitted content, member discounts and offers, as well as improved visibility for member companies.
• Completion of a global MMA network; the addition of a Latin American (LATAM) branch in March to the existing North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa branches has further extended the MMA’s global reach. The 2008 launch of local councils in the UK, India, South Africa and Ireland has also strengthened MMA initiatives and enabled better adaptation to individual market conditions.
• New York Headquarters; previously based in Denver, Colorado, the MMA is relocating its global headquarters to New York City.
• Key appointments; to reflect and support the growth of the MMA infrastructure, several key appointments have been made, including Peter Johnson, VP of Research & Strategy and Kristine van Dillen, Director Industry Initiatives & Partnerships in the New York office, as well as previously released hires of regional MDs for Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific.
• Membership growth of over 40 percent; the mounting recognition of the mobile channel as an effective marketing medium, together with greater regional and local relevance of the industry association as a result of the creation of the MEA and LATAM branch and local councils, has led member numbers to increase by more than 200 in 12 months. Newest members include:
  
  • Arena Mobile India Pvt. Ltd.
  • Blyk
  • Brandsh Media cc
  • Brasil Telecom S.A.
  • Capital Supreme(Pty) Ltd T/A Multimedia Solutions
  • Celerity Systems (Pty) Ltd
  • Cellsmart Technologies
  • Clearhub
  • Clickatell
  • ComCom AS
  • ConVisual
  • Far Eastone Communications
  • Habari Group Media Direct
  • Hewlett-Packard Company
  • Massive Impact
  • Mkhoj Solutions Pvt Ltd
  • Mobiclicks
  • Mobile Interactive Group
  • Mobile Market Servicos Ltda.
  • MobiMark
  • Mojiva, Inc
  • MS&L
  • MyClick Media Ltd.
  • Netway India Pvt. Ltd. – (Astroyogi.com)
  • One Brasil Media Interativa S/A
  • One Digital Media
  • OPENET
  • PhindMe
  • Phonecast Solutions
  • Proxama Ltd
  • Pudding Media Inc.
  • Que Pasa Communications Ltd
  • Rapid Mobile Media Ltd.
  • Reporo
  • RingRing Media
  • SilverstoneCIS
  • SMSCountry Networks PVT. LTD.
  • Snac, Inc.
  • SupportComm S.A.
  • Tata Teleservices Limited
  • TelePages, Inc.
  • TelePromos S.A.
  • T-Mobile International
  • We Love Mobile Ltd.
  • West Corporation
  • Western Illinois University
  • YOC Limted
  • Zannel, Inc.

“2008 has really been one of the most productive years yet for the industry, the MMA and our members. We’ve experienced tremendous forward momentum in mobile marketing education and guidelines, and further extended our global reach, creating greater opportunities to leverage knowledge and experience across our member base. The MMA membership has been at the forefront of driving innovation, fostering positive change, and supporting a healthy mobile ecosystem,” said Laura Marriott, MMA President. “As I prepare to leave the MMA in 2009, I’m confident that by continuing to collaborate and innovate as an industry, across geographies, companies and trade organizations, it is realistic to expect mobile to represent a significant portion of media budgets within the next five years.”

About the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA)
The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the premier global non-profit trade association established to lead the growth of mobile marketing and its associated technologies. The MMA is an action-oriented organization designed to clear obstacles to market development, establish mobile media guidelines and best practices for sustainable growth, and evangelize the use of the mobile channel. The more than 700 member companies, representing over forty countries around the globe, include all members of the mobile media ecosystem. The Mobile Marketing Association’s global headquarters are located in the United States and it has regional chapters including North America (NA), Europe (EUR), Latin America (LATAM), Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Asia Pacific (APAC) branches.

www.bluespotmedia.ning.com

Mobile Marketing Services

epperjam Mobile, powered by M3 Mobile Marketing, builds, manages, and deploys mobile marketing campaigns. Our technology is industry-leading and allows Pepperjam clients to take advantage of all facets of mobile marketing.

As mobile marketing is the fastest-growing direct marketing channel today, the Pepperjam mobile division is very excited to deliver this new, innovative solution to our clients and keep them up-to-date with one of the hottest marketing channels today. We understand that mobile may be a new channel for you, but we are experts in the field and will work with you to figure out the best way to leverage mobile marketing for your company. Don’t forget to ask us how we can optimize your mobile marketing initiatives by leveraging the strengths of our core online marketing services, including search and affiliate marketing!

Mobile Marketing & Mobile Messaging

Pepperjam’s mobile program is full-service and includes list building, creative design, management, and deployment. Once we have built a mobile opt-in database, we can initiate the creative design and mobile messaging piece of the program. This multiplies the number of times a customer purchases through targeted, text message broadcasts. And since the open rate is 99%, the conversion rates are much higher when compared to email and other internet marketing. When this is combined with the high level of target marketing that mobile messaging brings, your campaigns can generate incredible ROI.

Why Mobile Marketing?

• 99% open rate = exponential conversion rate
  • Cell phones are with us at all times and it’s impulsive to see who’s reaching out to you.
• Trackable instant results
  • Effectiveness of campaign can be viewed with our live, web reports.
• Customer intimacy
  • You will learn more about your customer which allows you to better market to them increasing your ROI and customer experience.
• Quick and easy program setup
  • Get setup in as little as one week
• Works will all demographics
  • Since mobile marketing is an opt-in medium, you can expect the same response from all types of demographics.

• www.bluespotmedia.ning.com

MMA's Commitment to Consumer Satisfaction

The MMA’s primary focus is on consumer protection and privacy, given the importance of consumer satisfaction in maintaining a sustainable industry and promoting growth.

The MMA therefore strives to align its members and industry stakeholders generally with consumers needs and wants to ensure a positive mobile experience. There are six fundamental elements to a positive consumer experience. They are:

• Choice. The consumer must “opt-in” to a mobile marketing program. Consumers have a right to privacy and marketers must therefore gain approval from consumers before content is sent, and include clear directions on how to unsubscribe from communication should it become unwanted.
• Control. Consumers should have control of when and how they receive marketing messaging on the mobile phone and must be allowed to easily terminate or “opt-out” of an unwanted program.
• Customisation. Data supplied by the consumer for marketing purposes should be used to tailor such marketing to the interests of the consumer (e.g. restricting communications to those categories specifically requested by the consumer.). Targeting user consumer data made available to the marketer helps to eliminate spam, making content as relevant and useful to the consumer as possible.
• Consideration. The consumer must receive or be offered something of perceived value in return for receiving the communication (product and service enhancements, entry into competitions etc.).
• Constraint. The marketer must effectively manage and limit mobile messaging programs to a reasonable number of programs.
• Confidentiality. Commitment to not sharing consumer information with non-affiliated third-parties.

The industry must monitor and enforce consumer protection and privacy to ensure the success and integrity of the mobile content business.

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MMA Announces Election of South Africa Local Council Co-Chairmen

Johannesburg, December 18, 2008 – The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) (www.mmaglobal.com) today announced the appointment of Ahmed Ismail Kajee as co-Chairman of the newly launched South Africa Local Council. Kajee, Chairman of the Vodacom Wireless Association Service Provider Council (WASP) and Strategic Business Development Director at Autotracker, joins Rick Joubert, Vodacom’s Head of Mobile Advertising, as joint Chair of the Council. The South Africa Local Council was established in November to lead the creation of guidelines and best practices and to educate and evangelize on the mobile channel in South Africa.

“We are delighted to have launched our South Africa Local Council and to have in place a leadership team of dedicated and talented individuals. Local programmes such as this council are key to driving the development of mobile marketing in regional markets and establishing guidelines and initiatives that will benefit everyone in the industry,” said Laura Marriott, MMA President.

The South Africa Local Council founding member companies are:

• AdMob Inc.
• Brandsh Media cc
• Capital Supreme (Pty) Ltd t/a Multimedia Solutions
• Celerity Systems (Pty) Ltd t/a Bulk SMS
• Cellsmart Technologies
• Clickatell
• Google Inc.
• GroupM
• Habari Group Media Direct
• Microsoft (MSN and Windows Live)
• Mobiclicks
• OgilvyOne Worldwide
• One Digital Media
• RingCo
• SilverstoneCIS
• TIM w.e. SA
• Vodacom Pty. Ltd.

For information on how to participate in the Local Council in South Africa, please contact the MMA membership team at membership@mmaglobal.com

About the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA)
The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the premier global non-profit trade association established to lead the growth of mobile marketing and its associated technologies. The MMA is an action-oriented organization designed to clear obstacles to market development, establish mobile media guidelines and best practices for sustainable growth, and evangelize the use of the mobile channel. The more than 700 member companies, representing over forty countries around the globe, include all members of the mobile media ecosystem. The Mobile Marketing Association’s global headquarters are located in the United States and it has regional chapters including North America (NA), Europe (EUR), Latin America (LATAM), Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Asia Pacific (APAC) branches.

www.bluespotmedia.ning.com

MMA Publishes Latest Issue of International Journal of Mobile Marketing

New York; London, UK; Singapore and Sao Paulo, 18 December 2008 — The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) (www.mmaglobal.com) today announced the publication of the fifth edition of its award-winning MMA International Journal of Mobile Marketing (IJMM). The December 2008 issue of the IJMM touches on a number of important mobile marketing themes including engaging consumers through the mobile phone; exploring consumer perceptions, attitudes and behaviour, mobile search and advertising, technology and services, and network provider business strategy.

Specific articles include:

• Mobile Advertising: Does Location-Based Advertising Work?
• Mobile Social Networking: The Brand at Play in the Circle of Friends with Mobile Communities Representing a Strong Opportunity for Brands
• University Students’ Attitudes Toward Mobile Political Communication
• Making Search Work for the Mobile Ecosystem: Implications for Operators, Portals, Advertisers and Brands
• Mobile Phone Users’ Behaviours: The Motivation Factors of the Mobile Phone
• Sold on Mobile Advertising: Effective Wireless Carrier Mobile Advertising and How To Make it Even More So

Published by the MMA’s Academic Outreach Committee (AOC) twice annually, in June and December, the journal provides a medium for academics, students, and industry professionals from around the world to share their insights and research on how the mobile channel can be effectively used for marketing. The AOC is comprised of volunteers from various MMA member companies and universities and is led by Michael J. Becker, iLoop Mobile and Michael Hanley, Ball State University.

The IJMM is available by subscription and the order form can be downloaded from the MMA website: http://www.mmaglobal.com/resources/international-journal-mobile-marketin....

About the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA)
The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the premier global non-profit trade association established to lead the growth of mobile marketing and its associated technologies. The MMA is an action-oriented organization designed to clear obstacles to market development, establish mobile media guidelines and best practices for sustainable growth, and evangelize the use of the mobile channel. The more than 700 member companies, representing over forty countries around the globe, include all members of the mobile media ecosystem. The Mobile Marketing Association’s global headquarters are located in the United States and it has regional chapters including North America (NA), Europe (EUR), Latin America (LATAM), Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Asia Pacific (APAC) branches.

www.bluespotmedia.ning.com

Mobile Marketing Association Updates U.S. Consumer Best Practices for Mobile Marketing Services

New York – December 30, 2008—The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) (www.mmaglobal.com) today released version 3.4 of its Consumer Best Practices (CBP) Guidelines for Cross-Carrier Mobile Content Services in the U.S. Updated twice annually, the guidelines have become the de facto standard for cross-carrier mobile content services, including text messaging, multi-media messaging, shortcode programs, mobile web and more. As part of the biannual update process, the MMA will be hosting its annual Consumer Best Practices Industry Forum on January 13 in Denver. This event provides the industry with the opportunity to comment on and contribute to the best practices in the United States.

The Consumer Best Practices document received updates to several topics, including the following:

• Clarification of Terms & Conditions specifically for Web Print/Video
• Clarification of each carrier’s “Standard Rates May Apply” language
• Removing triple opt-in from premium IVR program
• Clarification on Alcohol & Tobacco marketing guidelines
• Adding new section providing update on MMS interoperability

"As a cornerstone of the MMA’s activity in the United States, the Consumers Best Practices Guidelines help simplify mobile marketing,” said Laura Marriott, president of the MMA. “All players in the ecosystem support the CBP, and as such, they have become the US standard to help ensure industry profitability and consumer protection.”

“The Mobile Marketing Association strives to align its members and industry stakeholders with consumers needs and wants, making the Consumer Best Practices the most important document for the mobile marketing industry,” said Dave Oberholzer, co-Chair MMA Consumer Best Practices Committee and VP, Corporate Development at Limbo. “As this industry continues its evolution, the MMA will continue to ensure that the Consumer Best Practices document remains focused on both consumer protection and growing the industry.”

The MMA Consumer Best Practices Guidelines Committee’s mission is to develop guidelines which provide measures of acceptable practices for all players in the United States ecosystem. The committee is comprised of the following member companies: Alltel Wireless, AT&T Mobility, Bango, Buongiorno, Cellfish Media LLC, Chapell & Associates, denuo Group (a Publicis Company), Jamster, Lavalife Mobile, Limbo Inc., mBlox, Inc., MTV Networks, MX Telecom, Neustar, Inc., Nokia Corporation, OpenMarket, Qmobile Inc., SinglePoint, Single Touch Interactive, Inc., Sprint-Nextel, Sybase 365, T-Mobile USA, Telescope, Inc., The Walt Disney Company, Thumbplay, Twistbox, Inc., VeriSign, Inc. and Verizon Wireless.

The CBP sub-committees also help facilitate the rapid development of the guidelines to ensure the MMA stays at the forefront of industry development and self-regulation. These sub-committees include: Participation TV, Interactive Voice Response, Marketing to Children and Mobile Web.

The guidelines are effective immediately and available for download at http://www.mmaglobal.com/bestpractices.pdf. Additional information on the CBP Forum can be found at: http://www.mmaglobal.com/CBP-2009.

About the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA)
The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the premier global non-profit trade association established to lead the growth of mobile marketing and its associated technologies. The MMA is an action-oriented organization designed to clear obstacles to market development, establish mobile media guidelines and best practices for sustainable growth, and evangelize the use of the mobile channel. The more than 700 member companies, representing over forty countries around the globe, include all members of the mobile media ecosystem. The Mobile Marketing Association’s global headquarters are located in the United States and it has regional chapters including North America (NA), Europe (EUR), Latin America (LATAM), Middle East & Africa (MEA) and Asia Pacific (APAC) branches. For more information, please visit www.mmaglobal.com.

www.bluespotmedia.ning.com

Mobile Marketing Association Appoints Mike Wehrs as President and CEO

Mobile Veteran Brings Wealth of Global Experience as MMA Expansion Continues in 2009 -

New York; London, UK; Singapore and Sao Paulo, 12 January 2009 — The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) (www.mmaglobal.com) today announced that its Board of Directors has named mobile industry veteran Mike Wehrs as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the association, effective immediately. In his previous role as Vice President of Industry Affairs and Evangelism at Nuance Communications, Inc., Mr. Wehrs was responsible for the company’s overall mobile business strategy, product strategy, industry and public policy and a key member of the mergers and acquisitions team. As President and CEO of the MMA, Mr. Wehrs will continue to promote its charter to build a sustainable ecosystem for the mobile marketing industry globally, focusing on delivering benefits to MMA members, establishing guidelines and best practices for future growth, and driving mobile adoption worldwide.

“The MMA has grown tremendously in recent years in terms of membership and our geographic footprint, so we needed a person with world-class leadership skills combined with relevant experience and business acumen to continue to drive our success. After an extensive search, we found Mike to be the best person to lead the association’s activities going forward,” said Russell Buckley, MMA Global Chairman and Vice President of Global Alliances at AdMob. “Mike is a proven leader with extensive international executive experience and an established track record within the global mobile industry.”

Appointed to lead MMA activities worldwide, Mr. Wehrs has a range of industry association experience, having served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committees for organisations, such as CTIA – The Wireless Association, Open Mobile Alliance (OMA), Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) and dotMobi Advisory Group, as well as being an active participant as board member or committee chair for many other industry bodies.

“The MMA is thriving -- representing the entire mobile ecosystem, experiencing a more than 15-fold membership increase and firmly establishing itself as the leading association for the mobile marketing industry worldwide,” said Tom Daly, MMA North American Chairman and Group Manager, The Coca-Cola Company. “Mike’s record of achievements is impressive. Under his leadership, we’re confident that the MMA will continue to lead and implement yet more positive industry advances, maintaining the MMA’s position at the forefront of mobile marketing education and guidelines.”

Prior to Nuance Communications, Mr. Wehrs served as Vice President, Product Management and Global Marketing for Tegic Communications, an AOL company. As the product management visionary for Tegic’s wireless platform and embedded products, and global marketing group leader, he also served as industry standards and public policy representative within a number of industry bodies. Prior to Tegic Communications, Mr. Wehrs worked for Microsoft Corporation, where he was responsible for driving industry adoption and business development opportunities in support of many of Microsoft’s Windows products. During his tenure at Microsoft, Mr. Wehrs held various senior roles, working on technology and standards, as well as directing market research and product planning for Microsoft’s Mobile and Embedded Devices division.

“I am honoured and excited to lead the MMA at such an important time in its history,” said Mike Wehrs, President and CEO of the MMA. “The mobile channel has been experiencing tremendous growth, and marketers worldwide are embracing mobile marketing as an essential component of their global advertising strategies, capitalizing on its capability to establish a direct link with consumers on a global scale. I look forward to working together with MMA member companies, MMA Board of Directors and other industry leaders to ensure a vibrant and healthy mobile marketing ecosystem for all.”

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Driving Mobile With Full Visibility

As cold Arctic blasts descend on our continent, imagine your car is fully covered with ice but for a six-inch hole cleared on your windshield. Now drive full speed and find a store that has a Nintendo Wii on sale.

If you're thinking about mobile marketing as a digital channel, you may be driving this car (even in summer), settling for games of Pong on your Atari, and blowing past a few stores along the road.

Almost everyone I talk to about mobile thinks of it as a digital channel. And it is. But it's much more than that, and I cringe when marketers limit their efforts to using mobile only for display advertising, sponsorships, or extending online search.

Mobile is as much an out-of-home, print, radio, direct, and promotions medium as it is a digital one.

First, consumers of all stripes have their mobile devices with them wherever they go, which means marketers can reach them when they're on the run, looking for products, in transit, waiting in public, and gathering with friends at a pub or in a stadium. And there are plenty of reasons to use devices at home, which means they can be coupled with traditional media.

Second, mobile devices allow consumers to interact with printed messages and immediately respond to radio ads. If you've listened to any form of radio lately (terrestrial, online, or satellite), you know mobile response to ads and contests has increased enormously. It has all but replaced the call-in function, and judging from the huge volumes of text voters on "American Idol," consumers seem to prefer it.

Many out-of-home opportunities involve using mobile devices as the response mechanism, enabling consumers to interact with a static ad or message. And that's a key use. But don't assume this capability only offers direct response possibilities at the expense of branding opportunities. Mobile devices can engage consumers in elaborate, useful mobile Web sites and applications, and the activity is highly measurable. Also, environments in which mobile ads appear are very uncluttered, which amplifies the branding effect. If the message is relevant and attractive, it has almost no other advertising to compete with. Invariably, recall, favorability, and consideration scores are very strong on mobile media.

Entertainment brands are already using mobile to achieve marketing objectives that haven't been possible through other channels. Adding a simple short code (define) to an outdoor board advertising a new movie allows consumers to link to the film's trailer, interact with deep content, and purchase tickets, all with a few keystrokes. The context and moment of that interaction make a big difference for movie marketers. Up to this point, they had to hope audiences could remember the advertising well enough to purchase tickets online when they get home, which could be hours or days later. Worse, they had to hope audiences could summon the title and interest in it when they're at the theater and under the influence of peers, time, and competing movies. Motivating consumers to get informed and buy a ticket when they see or hear the media can make all the difference in the media spend's effectiveness.

None of this replaces traditional or digital channels. Most media plans still need efficient mass reach. In fact, research shows that mobile performs far better when supported (or in support of) television, print, out-of-home, and other mass media. In designing effective mobile campaigns, we work hard to make sure there are as many other impressions in the marketplace as possible.

Display and search advertising are important components of any campaign that involves mobile. But the campaigns shouldn't just be extensions of online advertising and therefore shouldn't just be a function of a digital budget, a digital team in an agency, or an in-house digital department.

Digital teams may have been the spenders so far, but mobile is also the domain of print advertisers who want to drive interactions from their print investment, out-of-home advertisers who want to diversify static media, and direct marketers who want to reach consumers who can click to call as an immediate response.

There are a lot of outlets to consider on the road, and there's no reason to drive with limited visibility. Let's clear the windshield and pull into a few places that may have just what we need.

www.bluespotmedia.ning.com

TechCrunch Hosts Barcelona Event

TechCrunch UK and Ireland are to host a TechCrunch Talk event in Barcelona on Thursday 19 February, from 3-6.30pm, followed by drinks and networking, in conjunction with Mobile World Congress.
The Barcelona TechCrunch Talk is aimed at bringing together the Mobile 2.0 start-up and VC community to debate the next phase of the mobile start-up world. It will feature two quick-fire panel discussions with the hottest entrepreneurs and investors, selected for their - views on the market, and with topics focused around the following themes:

• What will be the trends over the coming year?
• What are VC's looking for?
• Can the power of the operators really be disrupted?
• What value can be created in the mobile world in difficult times?

The panel discussions will be followed by casual networking over drinks.Tickets to the event are a nominal €25 per person to minimise no-shows, and can be purchased online here. The exact venue will be announced in due course.
“2009 promises to be the year many of the predictions made about the rise of mobile may start to come true,” TechCrunch UK Editor, Mike Butcher. “Start-ups in the space are poised to take advantage of affordable mobile Internet access and sophisticated handsets like the iPhone. The question is, can they do it? That's what TechCrunch Talk in Barcelona will seek to tease out from the assembled entrepreneurs and the venture capitalists that back them.”
TechCrunch Talk in Barcelona kicks off a series of TechCrunch events in Europe this spring, all focused on bringing together and networking the European start-up community.
Up-coming events are scheduled for 24 February in Paris; 19 March in Warsaw; 21 April in London; 27 May in Stockholm; 10 June in Berlin. On 9 July, TechCrunch will hold its Summer-Party in London.

www.bluespotmedia.ning.com

Bluetooth Marketing arrives in Romania - ValueFirst launches BEST at the ZileleBiz 2006 mega event

Bucuresti- 22 Noiembrie 2006 - Proximity; Influential & Interactive; Blue Blitz; Bucharest 23 – 27 Oct, 2006: ValueFirst Messaging, a leading MVNO for Data Services with over 600 enterprise clients, launched ValueFirst BEST (Bluetooth Empowered Selling Technology), its latest addition to an already strong suite of mobile messaging tools like Speed, VelocityPlus and AirMail, which empower enterprises and SMBs to communicate between varied back-end IT systems and mobile handheld devices via SMS over GSM/CDMA networks.


ZileleBiz 2006, the most well-known business event of the year in Romania, in its 5th Edition; offers a meeting place for over 5000 participants – important enterprisers, business men, decision makers, as well as many other investors in search of new business opportunities.

Business Media Group, BMG appointed ValueFirst Messaging as the official Mobile Messaging Partner for BizDays 2006, an event whose Principal Sponsor was Romania’s largest GSM operator, Orange Romania. “BizDays offered us the best platform to introduce ValueFirst BEST, a new age, new media, selling tool that the marketers world over have been waiting for ever since Bluetooth became popular among mobile handset manufacturers and users”, Mr. Vijay Shukla, Country Head, ValueFirst Messaging, said speaking on the topic of Mobile Messaging for Enterprises and the future of MVNOs, on day three which focused on trends in IT and telecommunication sectors..

The event saw over 5000 people downloading promotional, videos & images opt-in through Bluetooth, to promote the Home & Office Expo 2006 running concurrently at the World Trade Center in Bucharest, as part of the BizDays 2006 event. More than 600 participants also participated in sending a interactive SMS to receive promotional SMS as auto response; again through opt-in.

A complex and wel-organised event, ZileleBiz includes 20 conferences and over 80 workshops and case studies. Each day is dedicated to a specific industry and approaches subjects that will facilitate the interaction of the participants, the exchange of ideas and also the presentation of business opportunities.






ValueFirst empowers its customers to communicate between varied IT back-end systems and mobile phones using SMS Software/ API Services. ValueFirst provides a unique, end-to-end, global carrier-grade mobile data service. Its mobile data service offering includes 'plug and play' application licensing and hosting. Employing a partnership with Mobile operators, ValueFirst acts as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), with a clear focus on SMS mobile messaging. ValueFirst's Mobile Messaging Platform is capable of delivering SMS services to virtually any CDMA/GSM mobile handset across the globe.

www.bluespotmedia.ning.com