Apps: "Around Me" Review

By far the most useful app I've downloaded to my iPhone is something called "Around Me." The app uses the phone's GPS to help you find things around you that you need. Such as the nearest coffee house, bar, bank, gas station or even parking lot.



The thing that makes it so good, aside from the simple user interface that requires no typing, is that it actually works. I use it constantly, often just to see if the results jive with reality. And they almost always do.

I've used it to eat lunch in Dallas and park in Los Angeles.

"Around Me" is app building at it's best. Useful, simple, intuitive and functional.

"Thanks, Steve!"

The U.S. has taken over the top spot in mobile web browsing, displacing Britain, which was the former leader.

The news, from mobile web analytics firm Bango, is encouraging. The U.S. typically lagged behind the rest of the developed world in mobile adoption.

Yet even in a recession, U.S. mobile web browsing is growing. Twenty-nine percent of all mobile web traffic now comes from the U.S.

The reasons? Bango gives three.

1) The iPhone. As we mentioned here before, combine a great user interface, a fast network, an unlimited data plan and, perhaps most importantly, Apple's sense of personal security and you have a license to roam the mobile web at will.

2) Flat-rate data plans. See point #1 for proof.

3) Technology. Again, refer to point #1.

See a trend here? It's no surprise that more than 50% of all mobile web traffic is coming from the iPhone.

On behalf of mobile users and marketers everywhere, "Thanks, Steve!

Apps: From 30,000 Feet

The view from up here is clear:
- 150 million smartphones sold in 2008
- 500 million+ apps downloaded from Apple's App Store
-The App Store has 25,000 apps

And now enter Blackberry and it's obvious that apps are changing the face of mobile, along with that of our cell phones.

Some things to keep in mind when thinking about creating an app for your brand:

Do one thing well -- The best apps are singular in their function. They allow you to perform a repeatable function, simply and conveniently.

Houston first test market for Chick-fil-A texting

BY MARY ANN AZEVEDO
HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL

A national chicken restaurant brand is using Houston as a guinea pig in a textbook advertising test.

Chick-fil-A Inc. kicked off the chain’s first-ever text messaging campaign in the Bayou City this week.

MobileFKM, a newly formed unit of Houston-based advertising agency FKM, helped launch the Aug. 11 mobile campaign designed to hatch more breakfast business.

MobileFKM managing partner Scott Forrest says the campaign will be driven by marketwide radio supplemented with station text-messaging promotional efforts.

Tina Murray, Chick-fil-A Houston-area marketing director, says a high number of local commuters made Houston a logical incubator for the initiative.

“Houston is paving the way for this,” notes Murray. “People spend so much time in their cars, but often still have to conduct business and be reachable. Usually in the summer, it’s home to work for most people. But when school starts, we want their routine to be, home, Chick-fil-A, drop kids off at school, and then work.”

Every day through Sept. 25, Chick-fil-A will give away a year’s supply of three-count Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Minis to someone who has entered by texting “Chicken” to 777111.

Chick-fil-A conducted a focus group with junior high and high school students and found the one thing almost all had in common was a cellphone.

The restaurant chain also realized that the up-front costs of such a mobile campaign — starting at around $10,000 — seemed “extremely affordable,” says Murray.

“But the results will tell,” she adds.

CONNECTING TO CONTENT

MobileFKM was born out of Mo7 Mobile Marketing, which was formed in 2007 and recently partnered with FKM.

FKM President Melissa Stevens says that unlike typical mobile marketers, MobileFKM offers companies more options and greater access to a broader range of consumers. Clients are delivered a mobile campaign integrated with a larger marketing package involving other media components such as direct mail, online advertising and public relations.

She says mobile advertising has great potential because it involves a portable, hand-held device almost always in the on position.

“What mobile does is keep people connected to content,” says Stephens.

There were 255.4 million cellphone subscribers in the United States as of December 2007, according to CTIA-The Wireless Association.

Forrester Research reports that 72 percent of 18- to 27-year-olds and 50 percent of 28- to 41-year-olds use text messaging monthly.

Chick-fil-A isn’t the only coup for MobileFKM, which also handles in-stadium text messaging for the Houston Astros.

Last week, the company signed a deal with Bubbles Car Wash where Bubbles will be offering a free car wash to everyone who joins their mobile club.

MobileFKM is also working on an integrated TV, radio, outdoor and online campaign for Wildcat Golf Club, telling golfers to text “Wildcat” to 777111 to join the Wildcat Mobile club. Members will receive special discounts on greens fees and can download photos of their favorite Wildcat golf hole to use as their cellphone wallpaper.

Other MobileFKM clients include On the Border restaurants, Gold’s Gym, the U.S. Army and Popeyes Chicken and Biscuits.

Stevens notes that the restaurant industry has been hit hard lately with higher gas and food prices, so are more and more looking for different ways to market.

MobileFKM managing partner Jose Lozano notes that coupons were sent for On the Border restaurants via text message to people who had texted in during a Dallas Mavericks game to try to win tickets
The coupons had a 7.5 percent redemption rate, he says.

“Not only did it promote the restaurant chain, it helped On the Border build a large database” of potential marketing targets, says Lozano.

mazevedo@bizjournals.com • 713-395-9657

M07 Managing Partners Attend the Premier Mobile Marketing Forum of the Year

With over 2.6 billion mobile devices world-wide, mobile is poised to become the most widely utilized media channel in the world! Always on, always available and everywhere - mobile provides the unique ability for a brand to connect with their consumer like never before. The brand can now create a dialogue of engagement with the consumer, whenever and wherever they are.

The Mobile Marketing Forum provides the opportunity for those new to mobile to learn how to engage the mobile channel – and those already engaged in mobile to learn how to deploy more advanced capabilities to enhance existing initiatives. The Mobile Marketing Forum brings together industry leaders and experts from around the globe to share their expertise on how to leverage this hot new media channel. Regardless of your current level of expertise, the MOBILE MARKETING FORUM is the premier event to attend this year.

Each Mobile Marketing Forum highlights the key topics in the mobile marketing industry, presented by industry’s leaders. A sample of questions answered at each of the Mobile Marketing Forum events includes:

• What is mobile marketing? And, how do I start a mobile campaign?
• How do I measure success? What metrics are available to quantify and qualify the success?
• What are the high growth segments and where should I be focusing my ad spend?
• What are the emerging trends? And how will these trends impact my decisions and investments today?
• Is mobile advertising real and what inventories should I be investing my dollars in?
• How does mobile marketing vary globally and what can we learn from the successes in other markets?

The Mobile Marketing Forum is simply a must-attend event.

Wildcat Mobile is here!

Wildcat Golf Club, home course of Houston’s Sports Franchises, is now, home to the latest technology to hit the Houston golf market.

It’s called Wildcat Mobile.

Wildcat Golf Club has always offered a central location, breathtaking views of downtown, and dramatic elevation changes.

And now…Wildcat is offering something no other course is…the latest exclusive promotions, the best pricing, and pro tips….right to your cell phone. You can’t get this anywhere else.

Are you a member of Wildcat mobile?

Simply text the word “Wildcat” to the number 777111 from your cell phone and instantly be a part of the newest club in town. Entry gets you offers from Wildcat Golf Club that wont be featured anywhere else. You can even download Wildcat photos to your cell phone wall paper.

And as an added bonus, text in today and receive 15% off your greens fee rate all summer long. That includes a discount off any coupon you might already have.

The next text message you receive could be good for some free golf, or help you with your swing.

For more information, visit www.wildcatgolfclub.com or call them at 714-413-3400.

Please don't ask: "Is this the year of mobile?"

NEW YORK – Informative and educational: That was the feedback from some executives attending the first day of the Mobile Marketing Association’s Mobile Marketing Forum.

The day's content included an informative keynote, an in-depth analysis on an integrated adidas campaign, AKQA case studies and a panel dedicated to teaching attendees the importance of mobile analytics started the event off. Here's what forum attendees thought of the show so far. Here goes:

“[The show so far] is very informative,” said Scott Forrest, managing partner at Mobile FKM. “My feeling is that the industry is so fragmented it could be overwhelming. You really need to sit across from these guys to understand what they are saying. So it’s really helpful.”

Mr. Forrest wasn’t the only one who found the sessions informative.

“The sessions are very educational and give a great overview of the industry,” said Diane Walter, senior manager of email marketing at American Eagle Outfitters. “I am hoping to gain knowledge and contacts so I can take our mobile marketing to the next level.”

The sessions at the show gave marketers an insight into industry trends.

“As a company owner, I’m hoping to figure out all the current trends,” said Aftab Choudrie, principal at EBR Systems LLC.

And then, of course, there were some delegates who just can't bear to hear that old question popped. Take Steen Andersson, vice president of marketing, and Meredith Kepron, senior account manager, both at mobile marketing services firm 5th Finger.

"Everybody's asking that question, 'Is this the year of mobile?'" Mr. Andersson said. "My response is that it's a bloody stupid question to ask. But Meredith's response is it's the decade of mobile.

"Just like the Internet - which year was the year of the Internet?" he said. "Well, there were 10 such years of growth of the Internet."

Pressing the case
The forum also held a special press event during lunchtime featuring Gene Keenan, vice president of mobile strategies of Isobar; Tom Daly, group manager of strategy and planning at Coca-Cola Co.; Federico Pisani Massamomile, CEO of Hanzo; and MMA president Laura Marriot. All gave their outlook on mobile.

Ms. Marriot stressed the importance of the MMA's recently published Global Mobile Advertising guidelines. She said that the purpose of the guidelines was to keep the mobile industry self-regulated.

Mr. Massamomile talked about mobile in terms of driving awareness and increasing sales and traffic.

Also, Mr. Daly emphasized content's role.

“Premium mobile content is what is going to drive traffic, awareness and sales,” Mr. Daly said. “We have to be aligned on what type of an experience we [the industry] want to provide to consumers."

Editorial assistant Gabrielle Kalika reported

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.