ApolloBravo's Mobile + Social Blog

Great Survey Results: US Smart Phone Explosion Text and Web Usage 2009 Executive Summary

apollobravo — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:27:40 +0000

The smart phone explosion is driving fantastic mobile web growth enabling companies to enhance their text campaigns with embeded mobile web links.

From MMA Luth Research’s recent omnibus survey of wireless phone users with text or web access capabilities fielded from June 9 to June 11, 2009, netting 1001 respondents with demographics balanced against U.S. Census data. Of those who completed the online poll, 64% said their phone was equipped with the ability to access the Internet, with a significant number under 55 years of age. Of those who had the capability, close to half (43%) said they use it, with a significant number of users also under 45 years.

More than three-fourths (76%) of those who access the Web using their phone say they have an unlimited usage plan. Their primary activity is checking email (87%), followed by “get scoring news or weather updates” and “locate a business, address or name”, both at 68%. More than one-third download games, music or other content or watch a video.

The vast majority of respondents (88%) had text capabilities with their phone as well, especially those under 55 years or with household incomes under $100,000, and 40% of those who are able to text have an unlimited text plan, while 30% are charged for each text message.

Of those with texting capabilities, less than one-fourth (24%) have opted to receive messages from a company via text on their mobile phone, with a significant number under 45 years of age. Of those who have opted in, 71% have also opted out. More than half (51%) of those with text capabilities have said they have received a marketing or ad text message, with 30% having received ads and 18% having received an offer or coupon.

Contact ApolloBravo for information on integrating SMS Text, text-2-win and mobile coupon campaigns with the mobile web.

Volkswagen Kicks Off Mobile Campaign : Mobile Marketing Watch

apollobravo — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:42:21 +0000

Text 2 Win campaigns are an innovative way to engage consumers at events and deliver links to product specific mobile micro sites with incentives and special offers.

Volkswagen, promoting itself as “the official automotive partner of Major League Soccer,” has embarked on a 19 city mobile marketing tour.

In this regard, they are mobile in a physical sense as well as a digital one.

The goal, to introduce soccer moms everywhere to the new fleet of Volkswagen automobiles, is well served by this effort.

In addition to a text-to-win opportunity to take home a $25 gift card, potential customers are also offered the incentive for merely test driving a VW at a local dealership.

And, chances are, if you’ve been to a soccer game recently, there is a lot of promotional material on hand for VW. Volkswagen’s lineup of Routans, Jetta Sportwagens, Tiguans, Passat Wagons and CCs are typically featured prominently at the youth soccer events

The campaign is now underway and will run through November when the brand joins the MLS Cup championship in Seattle.

Contact ApolloBravo for innovative Text-2-Win campaigns and mobile promotions

Nielsen To Mobile Marketers: “Good Luck 2 U”

apollobravo — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:30:37 +0000

Mobile marketing Watch: Nielsen Mobile is so upbeat about SMS marketing, its analysts even use the jargon!

In its December 2008 report titled “The Short Code Marketing Opportunity,” Nielsen Mobile outlines the success of numerous SMS campaigns, describes how it bridges old and new media, and engages customers because it’s a “highly personal and interactive medium.” In its closing sentence, the report tells marketers: “Good luck 2 u.”

No wonder Nielsen descends into text-speak. According to research figures, SMS messaging has become extremely popular with U.S. wireless subscribers. In the third quarter of 2008, 203 million of 263 million users, or 77 percent, paid for texting either as part of a data package or in per-transaction fees. By the third quarter, wireless subscribers were sending an average 357 texts per month.

During the same period, brands using SMS saw great response. Coca-Cola’s short code campaigns resulted in 1.1 million AT&T and Verizon Wireless customers actively texting with the beverage company. Some 1.013 million (presumably pizza-loving) Verizon and AT&T subscribers texted with the pie chains Domino’s, Pizza Hut, and Papa John’s. Foot Locker’s VIP program resulted in 306,000 AT&T and Verizon subscribers exchanging texts with the shoe chain. And the SMS campaigns of more than two dozen radio stations–which used the technology to let listeners enter contests and engage with their favorite on-air hosts–received enough response that the campaigns appear in Nielsen’s Messaging Report.

What does all this mean?

It proves that as texting becomes embedded in U.S. consumers’ daily life, it is also the ideal way for marketers to reach them. (As long as these texts are permission-based opt-in messages, of course.) This isn’t just true for national brands. As Nielsen noted in its report, a regional chain of Ashley Furniture HomeStores in the Carolinas saw ROI of $122 for every $1 spent when it used SMS to promote a “secret sale.”

Besides radio, print media has also used SMS to create multi-channel campaigns. Hearst Magazines has implemented campaigns to offer specials to readers of titles as varied as CosmoGirl and SmartMoney–proving that print really can survive in a digitized world.

To be sure, SMS usage among wireless subscribers in the United States lags behind everyone else in the world except Canada, according to Nielsen. The U.S. rate was 57 percent in the third quarter, compared to 88 percent in Russia, which had the highest usage of all countries mentioned.

However that U.S. rate is bound to increase, especially after the recent presidential campaign drew more awareness to text campaigns. Nielsen estimates that the famous SMS-announcement of Sen. Joe Biden as Barack Obama’s running mate was received by 2.9 million phone users. While election-year hysteria has died down, excitement over SMS marketing–on the part of consumers–keeps growing.

Contact ApolloBravo for a free consultation on mobile marketing campaigns 703-835-9688 or text bravo to 99702

Nielsen To Mobile Marketers: “Good Luck 2 U” : Mobile Marketing Watch – The Pulse Of The Mobile Marketing Community.

Spam Splosion! – eMarketer

apollobravo — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:10:45 +0000

Spam Splosion!

JUNE 2, 2009

“We have met the enemy…and he is us.”
—Pogo

Everyone with an e-mail account knows what spam looks like. But where does it all come from, and where does it go?

One thing is certain—there is a lot of it.

According to MessageLabs, the percentage of worldwide e-mail traffic that is spam has been falling over the past few years, dropping from 86.2% in 2006 to 81.2% in 2008.

However, MessageLabs reported a 5.1% spike in spam over the past month. In May, a whopping 90.4% of worldwide e-mail traffic was spam.

The worst-hit area was Hong Kong, where 92% of all e-mail received was spam. Other highly spammed locales included China, the UK, Australia and Japan.

MessageLabs estimated that in the US, 87% of all e-mail was spam.

Nearly one-third of spam came from Europe, followed by Asia, South America and North America:

31.6% from Europe
27.8% from Asia
21.4% from South America
13.4% from North America

Whether recipients have spam with breakfast, lunch or dinner depends on geographic location.

Spammers were most active during the US working day, with spam e-mail peaking at 9am local time and gradually declining until midnight. But residents in Asian and European countries got most of their spam in the evening and throughout the day, respectively.

The heaviest spam days were Mondays and Fridays, and the lowest amount of spam was sent on Sundays.

Over one-half of spam (57.6%) was sent through botnets, collections of computers numbering in the thousands that send messages without the computer owner’s knowledge. Botnets named Donbot, Rustock and Cutwail operate on multiple continents around the globe.

Most of the spam that originated in the US came from smaller, unclassified botnets or free Webmail solutions—such as Yahoo! Mail or Hotmail—that are abused by spammers and cybercriminals.

Remember the CAN-SPAM Act introduced to great fanfare in 2003? The cheering has died down. But no one can argue that the law scared many spammers away. Read More Spam Splosion! – eMarketer.

Contact ApolloBravo about enhancing your direct marketing initiatives with mobile marketing.

Juniper: Real ROI Will Propel Mobile Ad Spend To $5.7B Within Five Years

apollobravo — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:51:00 +0000

Mobile Marketing Watch: Good news for mobile marketing service providers: Spending on mobile advertising will see strong growth even while other channels suffer during the global recession, according to Juniper Research.

Mobile ad spend will grow to $5.7 billion by the year 2014, Juniper forecasts in a report released this week. According to a press release, the firm surmises that according to its research, “The need for engagement with the consumer, and a quantifiable ROI, meant that mobile was increasingly being perceived as a key medium through which to pursue this strategy.”

Other findings from Juniper’s new report:

Mobile Internet will become the most popular mobile delivery channel for advertisers in 2009, and will attract the largest proportion of mobile adspend throughout the forecast period.
Mobile Cost Per Clickthrough (CPC) and Cost Per Mille (CPM) rates have fallen sharply over the past year in large part due the negative impact of the economic downturn.
Mobile advertising response rates remain substantially higher than those in other media.

My takeaway: Juniper’s findings underscore the fact that high–and highly measurable–ROI and improved consumer relations have long been a selling point for mobile marketing. For one thing, a decent message-sending platform will let you see how many people received and acted on a marketing offer. Meanwhile, messages to a consumer’s phone–such as a text message–work to foster a sense of personal relationship between a customer and a business or brand.

Mobile Marketing Watch Juniper: Real ROI Will Propel Mobile Ad Spend To $5.7B Within Five Years : Mobile Marketing Watch – The Pulse Of The Mobile Marketing Community.

Contact ApolloBravo about our innovative Mobile AdReach product that combines SMS, Mobile Web and a Mobile ad network in one solution.

The British are Coming… to Mobile Marketing!

apollobravo — Sun, 31 May 2009 14:24:03 +0000

Mobile Marketing Watch: Remarkable but true, the growth of mobile marketing in Africa and Asia have outpaced the growth (and, mostly, acceptance) of mobile marketing in the United Kingdom.

But according to a recent report from the European Interactive Advertising Association, an accelerating number of UK marketers are now “including the mobile platform in their advertising initiatives.”

The new found interest, in seems, spans a broad landscape of industries that are becoming involved with mobile advertising (including the automotive and financial services sector).

Jack Marshall of ClickZ speculated that “the fact UK mobile users receive a handset upgrade when renewing their service plans may increase usage of smartphones, which in turn could eventually help to push mobile marketing to a tipping point.”

For now, the numbers don’t lie. UK firms running mobile banner ad campaigns rose by 45% in March if this year compared with six months previously. Read More

The British are Coming… to Mobile Marketing! : Mobile Marketing Watch – The Pulse Of The Mobile Marketing Community.

Jim Beam taps mobile to introduce Red Stag bourbon

apollobravo — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:14:11 +0000

May 28, 2009 Jim Beam uses mobile to introduce new Red Stag bourbon
Mobile Marketer

Kid Rock’s lovin the cherry bourbon

Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc. is using mobile as part of a multichannel effort to promote its new cherry-infused bourbon called Red Stag by Jim Beam.

The mobile aspect of the campaign consists of a text-to-win sweepstakes called “Call of the Wild.” Consumers are asked to text keyword RS and their email address to short code 73637. Consumers who opt in to the sweepstakes via text will receive an email invitation to join The Herd, a database of names for future marketing messages from Red Stag.

“Red Stag is not your father’s bourbon,” said Brian Gallagher, manager of sponsorship marketing for Beam Global, Deerfield, IL. “It provides a fresh, contemporary taste that appeals to both longtime Jim Beam fans and new consumers who may not have previously considered the bourbon category.

“We are aiming to extend and deepen the brand’s relevance to males of legal purchase age with contemporary executions and calls-to-action,” he said. “The mobile and interactive focus of this campaign – entering the “Call of the Wild” sweepstakes through mobile text messages – is a way to talk to these consumers in their language and in their environments.”

Red Stag by Jim Beam uses an artisanal infusion process to combine four-year-old Jim Bean Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey with natural black cherry flavors.

The Call of the Wild sweepstakes will grant one winner and three friends an all-access weekend to see Kid Rock perform live in Las Vegas, among other prizes. The sweepstakes runs from July 6 to Aug. 31. Consumers can also enter the sweepstakes at http://www.jimbeam.com, as well as on Facebook through the Red Stag and Jim Beam fan pages.

“The sweepstakes is open to and unites all Jim Beam and Kid Rock fans of legal purchase age,” Mr. Gallagher said. “A different breed of Bourbon and a different breed of rock star – there’s no better match.”

Red Stag will also be the headline sponsor of Kid Rock’s 2009 Rock ‘N’ Rebels Tour, which will hit 25 cities nationwide this summer.

Fifty cents from every ticket sold for the concert tour will be donated to Operation Homefront, a nonprofit that provides assistance to U.S. military veterans returning home to their families.

Through the support of Operation Homefront, Kid Rock and Red Stag will help fund emergency aid, moving assistance and care packages in local chapters throughout the country. Read more http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/messaging/3349.html

Mobile, Social and Email Interact

apollobravo — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:43:11 +0000

Social Media versus SEO

apollobravo — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:09:22 +0000

Rise of Social Media

apollobravo — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:39:52 +0000