Apple has the tools to succeed in the mobile ad arena, but will face established rivals and may need to adapt culturally to make the most of the opportunity

Mobile ad revenue totalled £28.6m in the UK in 2008, nearly double the previous year. Having enjoyed enormous success with apps, Apple is poised to move into the fast-growing ad market with its purchase in January of Quattro Wireless for a reported $275m.

Tweet this

Apple won’t comment on its plans but signalled its intentions in the EMEA region by recruiting two executives early last month: Theo Theodorou and Todd Tran, who have significant experience in mobile ads.

Andy Wasef, emerging platforms director at media agency MEC Interaction, says Apple is looking to bolster Quattro Wireless’s standing in the UK and Europe and could then look at how to integrate its services. He expects Apple’s strategy to become clearer in the next few weeks, which could include monetising some of the free content on iTunes and establishing a revenue-share model with newspapers and magazines on the iPad. Industry players also expect Apple to make strong moves into the location-based ad market.

quick facts

• Mobile ad revenue totalled £28.6m in the UK in 2008, up 99.2% on 2007, according to the Internet Advertising Bureau
• Last month ComScore and the GSMA launched Mobile Media Metrics to help mobile media reporting for publishers, agencies and advertisers
• ComScore and the GSMA said 16m UK mobile users viewed nearly 7bn pages of online content via mobile browsers in December 2009
• The Apple App Store has seen more than 3bn applications downloaded globally in less than 18 months

David Fieldhouse, mobile manager at media agency MediaCom, believes Apple will develop the world’s largest in-app mobile ad service, a strategy that appears to make sense if the company wants to secure ad revenues on the back of sales from its App Store. It recently announced the App Store had seen more than 3bn apps downloaded in less than 18 months, with more than 100,000 on offer.

Fieldhouse says creative opportunities for in-app ads are growing as the industry moves from static banners to other formats, such as clickable video.

Apple’s move into advertising may also help it maintain a competitive edge as the rest of the mobile industry attempts to regain the initiative in the app market. At February’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, industry body the GSMA unveiled a joint move by 24 global operators and three vendors to build an open platform to deliver apps to mobile users.

Meanwhile, industry players say Apple has the raw materials to succeed in the mobile ad market. Fieldhouse says the Apple brand carries an “enormous amount of equity”, while the company has the reach and devices to make a success of the mobile ad market.

Christian Louca, MD of mobile ad company YOC, says, “By buying Quattro, Apple has an opportunity to integrate hardware, software, content and advertising. In that sense, it’s playing to the strengths of the iPhone.”

Media agencies and publishers point out Apple already has billing mechanisms in place and a large amount of user data that could prove valuable, such as information on location and lifestyle. “Could it use this data to generate more personalised ad impressions?” asks Ilicco Elia, head of mobile at Reuters Consumer Publishing, warning it’ll have to be careful about how it uses any data for personalised advertising.

It’s difficult to assess the potential impact of Apple’s entry into the mobile ad market because the company is keeping its cards close to its chest. “It’s traditionally a very secretive company,” says Fieldhouse. “To engage with media and ad agencies, it’ll have to be more collaborative and share information earlier so we can communicate opportunities to our clients.” MediaCom is already in discussions with Apple and Fieldhouse says early signs are the company does want to collaborate.

Meanwhile, some commentators from the ad industry warn any attempts by Apple to exert too much control over the market could backfire. Many have referred to a recent blog post on its developer forum in which the company warned it will reject apps primarily aimed at serving users with location-based ads. Apple said the move is to protect the user experience, but others see it as an effort to take control of the location-based ad market and that Apple could use its dominance to squeeze out other ad providers. It may also be a concern that Google is already trialling location-based ads with US advertisers.

“If Apple wants the iPhone to continue to be a key device for advertisers, it can’t build barriers between itself and the ad networks,” says Louca. “It needs to work with the industry to keep pushing the medium as well as the message. The iPhone is just one device in a global market; brands expect reach as well as quality in campaigns.”

In addition, Apple will need to think about how much control it wants in partnerships with publishers. Andrew Nicholls, partnerships and mobile manager at Dennis Publishing, says publishers like to have control over the advertisers they use and the ad costs they charge. “Will publishers still be able to sell sponsored apps or does Quattro want a slice?” he asks.

A further challenge for Apple is that it will be up against established players such as 4th Screen, Yahoo and YOC in the UK, where companies have already built relationships with planners and buyers and where Quattro Wireless is a largely unknown company. In addition, Apple will have to contend with Google, which purchased mobile ad network AdMob for $750m in November.

With recent acquisitions reflecting growing momentum for mobile ads, 4th Screen MD Mark Slade is hopeful 2010 will bring significant growth. But he tempers this, saying, “There are many people in the market with bullish expectations,” adding that it’s inadvisable to get too excited about short-term upturns.

URL Link:

http://www.nma.co.uk/features/apple-and-mobile-ads/3010992.article

London, UK – 10 March 2010: Full service mobile solutions provider YOC today announced that Moblica owned Snaptu, the first truly successful manifestation of cloud-based “virtual” applications has joined the YOC media network. As part of the partnership, YOC will provide brands and advertisers with advertisements across the Snaptu mobile application portal which includes Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, AccuWeather, the Guardian, ESPN Cricinfo and other major news and sports outlets. YOC will work with Snaptu across Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland and the UK.

Tweet this

Snaptu’s free, fast and intuitive suite of services runs very quickly and simply on most GPRS/3G mobile phones. Snaptu will sit alongside a number of other publishers in the YOC premium media network including 3 Favourites, Getjar, PC Advisor, Macworld, Stuff.tv, Perez Hilton, Elle UK and Digital Spy.

Simon Davies, Managing Director of Europe at Moblica said of the partnership: “YOC came highly recommended by every reference we took. We were impressed by their experience working with brands and advertisers across Europe and its track record in providing high quality inventory to its customers.  Growing at over 1million  users a month and topping the bill on most quality app stores such as BlackBerry’s AppWorld, Ovi and Play Now arena, Snaptu can offer YOC’s advertising clients not only great reach but also access to a number of specifically targeted demographic groups.”

Since its launch in July 2008, YOC’s UK media has grown significantly and now receives more than 600 million monthly page impressions and reaches over 35 million unique mobile users.

“Snaptu’s access to a number of hugely successful social networking applications, portals, news sites and content is very attractive to our brand and advertiser customers,” said Christian Louca, Managing Director of YOC UK. “Working with Snaptu, one of the most exciting applications in the market, we can help advertisers to target several million mobile users on a number of devices all across Europe.”

About YOC Group:

YOC Group is one of Europe’s leading full service providers of mobile advertising, mobile marketing and mobile internet services. YOC Group’s mobile services span an extremely broad client base across global brands, media owners, social networking businesses, mobile phone manufacturers and networks, retailers and financial service providers. YOC Group employs over 180 employees across the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Austria and Belgium. Clients include: Coca-Cola, News International, Mercedes-Benz, Nike, Kraft Foods, Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures, Motorola, BILD, Guardian Media Group, IDG Media, Haymarket Consumer Media, and Bacardi Global Brands. 

For more information about the YOC Group, please visit http://en.group.yoc.com/

About Snaptu:

Snaptu’s flagship product, Snaptu, is one of the most popular applications on the mobile web. Growing at over 1m users a month it has users in more than 100 countries. Using groundbreaking virtual application technology, Snaptu provides a fast and elegant user experience in partnership with various media brands such as Sky, ESPN, Guardian, Teletext as well as most of the top handset vendors and operators.  Launched just over a year ago and backed by Sequoia Capital, Snaptu is headquartered in Israel, with offices in London and Silicon Valley.

For more information, please contact:

Becca Daniel or Robert Haslam

Mi liberty Ltd

P: +44 20 7751 4444

E: bdaniel@miliberty.com

E: rhaslam@miliberty.com

London, UK – 4th March 2010:

Full service mobile solutions provider YOC today announced that it has been selected by Peugeot to launch a mobile advertising campaign in conjunction with OMDUK, Peugeot’s media agency. The campaign consists of a new expandable format for mobile, composed of three clickable sections promoting the 107, 207 and 308 models of the car. Upon clicking on one of the three car models, mobile users will be directed through to a dedicated microsite where they will be able to find more information on the car, locate their nearest dealer, book a test drive and request a brochure.

Tweet this

Charged with designing and building the banner advert and the three individual microsites, YOC has created an industry first with the new expandable advertising format. Accessible on the iPhone, Android handsets, BlackBerry devices and other smartphones, the Peugeot banner ad will be promoted across the YOC network which receives over 600 million monthly page impressions and reaches over 35 million unique mobile users.

“Mobile internet is really coming alive and the promise of optimised content is finally here. Once only accessible online, we’ve brought expandable ads to the mobile enabling brands to deliver rich, unique and tailored content,” said Christian Louca, Managing Director of YOC UK. “With our experience in developing and operating more than 400 mobile portals in Europe, we’re a perfect fit for Peugeot to help expand its mobile presence.”

“The very nature of expandable adverts brings mobile internet to life for advertisers. We’ve been championing this format for a long time now and it’s great to see it come to fruition. With expandable adverts, brands can deliver high quality, interactive content; unhampered by format restrictions,” said Alex Newman, Head of Mobile at OMDUK.

Jody Bates, Media Manager  at Peugeot commented, “Working with YOC, we have been able to introduce another exciting element to our mobile advertising portfolio and can now provide our customers with detailed information on a range of our models whenever they want it and wherever they are. It’s great to see mobile internet deliver on its promise of being able to offer relevant, timely and valuable information to our customers.”

About YOC Group:

YOC Group is one of Europe’s leading full service providers of mobile advertising, mobile marketing and mobile internet services. YOC Group’s mobile services span an extremely broad client base across global brands, media owners, social networking businesses, mobile phone manufacturers and networks, retailers and financial service providers. YOC Group employs over 180 employees across the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Austria and Belgium. Clients include: Coca-Cola, News International, Mercedes-Benz, Nike, Kraft Foods, Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures, Motorola, BILD, Guardian Media Group, IDG Media, Haymarket Consumer Media, and Bacardi Global Brands. 

For more information about the YOC Group, please visit http://en.group.yoc.com/

About OMD:

Omnicom Media Group (www.omnicommediagroup.com) is the media division of Omnicom Media Group Inc.  Its businesses include leading media service companies OMD Worldwide and PHD Network, as well as a number of specialised companies in areas including search engine marketing, branded content production, corporate asset barter, out-of-home media and insert media.  Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company.

Omnicom Media Group, UK includes OMD UK Group (OMD UK, Manning Gottlieb OMD, M2M, OMD International, OMD Digital, BrandScience and Fuse) and also PHD UK Group (PHD, PHD North, Rocket, PHDIQ, Drum, PHD International, BrandScience and Drum) plus OPera.

For more information about OMD UK please contact Ella d’Amato on 02030234593 or ella.damato@omd.com

For more information, please contact:

Jen Hibberd or Becca Daniel

Mi liberty Ltd

P: +44 20 7751 4444

E: jhibberd@miliberty.com

E: bdaniel@miliberty.com

Usually, the merger of two major companies in any influential market is seen as a threat to consumer choice.

The conventional wisdom is that less competition means reduced pressure on prices, which translates to fewer pennies in your pocket.

But when it comes to the merger of Orange and T-Mobile, cleared by the OFT (March 1, 2010), arguably it means a lot more choice for its customers, not less.

Firstly, the merger should deliver an expanded, and more robust 3G service to UK customers. Why is this important?

Well, 3G has become fundamental to the development of the mobile data economy which has exploded over the past two years as smartphones have expanded well beyond the niche subscribers who had historically owned them in the days where 3G coverage was patchy and unreliable.

Smartphones and fast data have become inextricably linked, meaning that data-rich services, streaming media and location-aware apps depend on continuous connection.

If the result of the merger is increased 3G coverage and faster data speeds, then this will be a massive boon to both the mobile companies that are driving innovation in the mobile market with a slew of new services which simply aren’t possible without it.

Tweet this

Better and faster coverage also means that connectivity can become ubiquitous. At last month’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona wireless was showing itself in plenty of new form factors – from connected cars to e-readers, smartbooks and even mobile-enabled heart monitors.

There are thousands of potential ways where mobile connectivity can bring new life to an existing device or service. But the risk of doing so isn’t worth it to companies unless they know that the networks that deliver the connectivity are able to cope with the new demands placed on them.

That’s where bigger and broader networks arguably become essential to justify taking a wireless gamble.

But potentially the biggest boost from the merger would be to retail, and specifically m-commerce. Mobile retail is the glue that sticks together mobile marketing, advertising, search – you name it, and somewhere in the value chain will be a company or brand that depends on making a sale.

The more consumers trust m-commerce, the more this whole ecosystem around m-commerce can thrive and invest in new services based around location, personalisation and recommendation can redefine how and when we shop.

The rise of the app store has done a lot to make m-commerce appealing, but the success of the application has been to create a consistent and robust gateway to the mobile Internet.

If there is less need for the gate-keeper, it means it’s easier, cheaper and quicker for retailers to offer services that are created for and tailored to a mobile experience.

Gone are the challenges of app-store fragmentation and the time and cost of approvals, and instead the true potential of m-commerce and everything that goes with it can be unlocked.

It may sound strange but in this case, less competition does mean more choice, more innovation and a great opportunity for everybody. And it’s not often that you can say that about the mobile industry.

URL Link:

http://www.utalkmarketing.com/pages/Article.aspx?ArticleID=16959&Title=What_the_Orange_T-Mobile_merger_means_for_mobile_marketers

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Google a patent that will allow the company to use location information in advertisements. Google’s patent could have far-reaching effects on both Web-based and mobile advertising efforts.

Tweet this

“The usefulness, and consequently the performance, of advertisements are improved by allowing businesses to better target their ads to a responsive audience, ” Google wrote in its patent application. The company went on to describe several ways that location information could achieve such results, including using it as an attribute to determine ad placement, tracking performance in different geographic areas and, perhaps most importantly, targeting potential customers based on their location.

The patent also allows Google to build tools for advertisers that use location information to improve the effectiveness of an ad campaign.

Google having the patent could have profound  effects on both Web and mobile advertising.

More sites than ever are incorporating location awareness into their services. To generate revenue, some of those companies might be considering using location information in ads. Google’s patent could stand in their way.

On the mobile side, the patent could have a similar effect. The iPhone and Google Android-based devices have built-in GPS technology, making them location aware. With the help of its patent, Google could capitalize on that technology and offer a mobile-advertising solution that improves the relevancy of ads with the help of a user’s location.

Google has been mum on what it plans to do with the patent. It did not immediately respond to request for comment.

URL Link:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/03/google-location-patent.html

Full service mobile solutions provider YOC today announced that it has been selected to sell the advertising inventory on the ELLEuk Horoscopes iPhone application. The iPhone application, launched in January 2010 provides readers with free access to ELLEuk’s hugely popular Horoscope content offering daily, monthly and yearly astrological updates from ELLEuk’s resident astrologers, The Saturn Sisters.

Tweet this

YOC will deliver mobile advertising to the application, targeting advertisers in the luxury and high end retail space, automotive sector and beauty industry. The Horoscopes iPhone application which is available for download free of charge from Apple’s App Store will feature a number of adverts from UK and European based advertisers.

The deal represents YOC’s second partnership with publisher Hachette Filipacchi. YOC began selling advertising inventory on entertainment and showbiz website Digital Spy’s mobile offering in 2009.

“We already have a trusted relationship with YOC, having worked with them on our Digital Spy mobile website and we’re excited to continue to grow this partnership with ELLEuk. With one of the largest mobile media networks in Europe, we’re confident that YOC can help us to effectively monetise our iPhone application by providing our users with relevant advertising that’s of genuine interest to them,” said Jonathan Asfaw, Digital Commercial Director at Hachette Filipacchi Media.

“We’re really happy to be working with ELLEuk and furthering our relationship with Hachette Filipacchi.  Over the last few months, our media network has grown in leaps and bounds and we’re now receiving more than 600 million monthly page impressions and reaching over 35 million unique mobile users,” said Christian Louca, Managing Director of YOC UK. “What this means for advertisers is that whatever their message or target audience, we can guarantee them the reach and excellent return on their investment. The ELLE Horoscopes iPhone app is a unique offering in the UK market as it enables advertisers to reach an almost entirely female audience. This is unusual as, traditionally, the female audience is harder to reach in mobile.”

About YOC Group:

YOC Group is one of Europe’s leading full service providers of mobile advertising, mobile marketing and mobile internet services. YOC Group’s mobile services span an extremely broad client base across global brands, media owners, social networking businesses, mobile phone manufacturers and networks, retailers and financial service providers. YOC Group employs over 180 employees across the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Austria and Belgium. Clients include: Coca-Cola, News International, Mercedes-Benz, Nike, Kraft Foods, Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures, Motorola, BILD, Guardian Media Group, IDG Media, Haymarket Consumer Media, and Bacardi Global Brands. 

For more information about the YOC Group, please visit http://en.group.yoc.com/

About Hachette Filipacchi UK:
Hachette Filipacchi UK, a subsidiary of Lagardère Active, publishes seven leading consumer magazines – Psychologies, Red, ELLE, ELLE Decoration, Sugar and soap celebrity titles Inside Soap and All About Soap. In addition, ELLE Collections, the definitive bi-annual guide to catwalk fashion, was launched in July 2006, the first brand extension from UK ELLE. Hachette’s Digital Division was established in early 2007 with ELLEuk.com and Sugarscape.com launched the same year. Hachette acquired Digital Spy, the UK’s premier independent entertainment news website, in April 2008. The Digital Division also consists of sites supporting the magazine brands including Psychologies and Red Direct.

For more information, please contact:

Becca Daniel or Robert Haslam

Mi liberty Ltd

P: +44 20 7751 4444

E: bdaniel@miliberty.com

E: rhaslam@miliberty.com

URL Links:

http://en.group.yoc.com/

http://www.nma.co.uk/news/elle-appoints-yoc-to-sell-ads-across-iphone-app/3010569.article

When it comes to mobile applications iPhone and Android users share similar download and usage habits — but iPhone users are more likely to spend money purchasing applications than their Android counterparts.

Tweet this

(Relaxnews) -

When it comes to mobile applications iPhone and Android users share similar download and usage habits – but iPhone users are more likely to spend money purchasing applications than their Android counterparts.

Both iPhone and Android users downloaded an average of nine applications per month says a new report by AdMob, published on February 25.

iPod Touch users were the most engaged users, downloading 37 percent more applications than their iPhone and Android counterparts (which equated to about 12 downloads per month). Consumers with an iPod Touch spent an average of 100 minutes per day using applications; they spent 25 percent more time with their apps than consumers with an iPhone or Android-powered device.

When it comes to handing over their credit cards, iPhone users were the most eager to get out their credit cards when they found an application they liked. The study reported that 50 percent of iPhone users purchase at least one app per month compared to only 21 percent of Android users.

Another interesting fact revealed during the study was the percentage of users who would recommend their device to others. People with Apple-branded products appeared to be the most satisfied users. Ninety-one percent of iPhone users and 88 percent of iPod Touch users said they would be happy to recommend their device to others compared to 84 percent of Android users and 69 percent of web OS users.

The AdMob Mobile Metrics Report was based on the responses of 963 iPhone, iPod Touch, Android and webOS device users in February 2010.

URL Link:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/mobile-application-purchasing-habits-revealed-1914014.html

Technological innovation coupled with a diverse range of access points for consumers is driving deeper usage online, presenting marketers with a vastly mobile UK audience to target and engage with in 2010 and beyond.

The EIAA’s Mediascope Europe study across 15 European markets highlights how consumers are extending the ways in which they enjoy and engage with the internet and its growing influence on everyday lives.

With a majority of UK consumers now aware they can use the internet via their mobile phone (51% vs. 42%), and a growth in wireless broadband and laptop use, the findings demonstrate how the increased diversity of internet-enabled devices is allowing consumers to go online at any time of day and in more locations than ever before.

Overall, 10 million people in the UK browse the mobile internet in a typical week and, with almost an hour a day actively spent going online via their mobile (6.3 hours per week), ‘internet-on-the-move’ is proving a more frequent pastime than reading newspapers (5.3 hours) or magazines (3.7 hours).

It is the younger generation of early adopters that is largely driving this increase with almost a half (43%) of 16-24 year olds and one quarter (26%) of 25-34 year olds already using the mobile internet, spending 6.5 and 6.4 hours on it respectively each week.

Tweet this

This trend of increased consumer reach and time spent online looks set to continue with improving internet coverage, speeds and services. Marketers would therefore be well advised to recognise how consumers are increasingly engaging with the internet, at more times throughout their day and across a myriad of interactive touch points, and ultimately use this insight to develop effective multi-media marketing strategies.

The internet continues to prove a popular source of entertainment with one in five of UK consumers gaming (20%), one third listening to the radio online (33%). and 39% watching films, TV or video clips online at least once a month.

With almost one half (44%) of UK consumers following brands more as a result of the internet, the medium is being used for fun and for function signifying that users have high levels of both emotional and rational connection with the medium.

Amongst those with an internet enabled phone, one third (31%) claim to receive video clips, websites or images on their mobile and two thirds (61%) say that they pass on the content they receive. This suggests that those online via their mobile are both technologically sophisticated and deeply engaged – highlighting a prime opportunity for marketers to build brand awareness and peer recommendations.

Additionally, ‘Word of Web’ continues to play a central role in communications with four in five (80%) of UK internet users admitting that they stay in touch with friends and relatives more as a result of the internet.

Again, mobile seems to be a big driver with over half (54%) of UK consumers using their internet enabled phones for more than verbal conversation. 29% state they communicate using social media via their mobile, with 23% also using mobile instant messenger.

Advertisers can therefore benefit from the growing consumer appetite for constant updates and entertainment on the go and use this insight to plan for multi-media campaigns that engage with consumers across a number of platforms.

Media convergence is on the rise with the research revealing that almost one half (46%) of UK consumers use the internet whilst watching TV.

With recent technological advancements such as the iPad, and given over half (59%) of UK households already own at least one laptop and over 25 million UK consumers (72%) now use wireless broadband, increased mobility and convergence seems inevitable.

So what does this mean for marketers? Well, marketers should no longer look at media in isolation but rather embrace the media-meshing trend and the wealth and diversity of advertising opportunity it affords.

“Better devices and connectivity as well as enhanced consumer motivation all started coming together in 2009 to improve and extend the overall online experience,” said Executive Director of the EIAA, Alison Fennah.

“As a result, the internet is now being consumed across PC, laptop, mobile and gaming devices, providing 24-7 access to digital information and entertainment. This presents a compelling case for brands to explore and incorporate a growing number of complementary interactive platforms into the marketing mix.”

She added, “Indeed, new age patterns of media consumption indicate that marketers should be looking to develop multi-platform strategies that reach and connect with consumers more effectively and increase ROI. This is opposed to making media decisions based on an ‘either or’ basis if they want to reach all demographics.”

URL Link:

http://www.utalkmarketing.com/pages/Article.aspx?ArticleID=16932&Title=UK_consumers_more_mobile_and_engaged_with_online_than_ever_

M-commerce is a natural progression for retailers to extend their existing e-commerce operations.  I also have the viewpoint that m-commerce will leapfrog e-commerce in less established markets. After all mobile internet has done this in countries like India, China, Korea (to name a few) so why not m-commerce? Retailers have been traditionally slow in taking up mobile as a marketing/sales channel.  It was no different in the early fixed internet days. However, with players like Google and Apple moving into the market, I do believe Retailers are being forced to wake up and realise the true potential of this device.  Whilst they are behind other sectors in mobile adoption, it is not too late for them to get involved.

Unfortunately, we have already seen retailers start to embrace mobile with the wrong strategy and are making the mistakes that others are savvy too. We are seeing retailers jump on the app bandwagon without considering the mobile internet first, this is a classic mistake to make.

Mobile Internet is at the heart of Mobile Marketing campaigns. The key to this is to remember mobile works best when integrated into traditional media whatever the format.  Mobile applications are just one element to utilise as a marketing channel. At present only iphone applications are offering the rich levels brands would expect and the experience consumers would hope for. The others are some way behind.  There is limited reach, as in the UK iphone has only **17% handset penetration (much less Globally) with Blackberry slightly higher on **20% and Nokia still dominating with a huge **39%  (**Smart phone penetration).

In order to maximise the success of any campaign you need to reach the targeted masses; which means you need to consider all platforms and formats whether it is an application, mobile internet site or simple SMS communications or mobile vouchers (to name but a few). This always comes back to the key metrics in determining the success of any campaign:

Reach, Targeting, Engagement, Viral-ability and Transactional…..

Does it have reach?  Is it targeted? Is it engaging?  Is it viral? Can you make a sale?

The higher it scores in these areas then the closer you are to running a successful mobile marketing campaign that has delivered recognised measured tangible results.

The iPhone apps and other apps can be an added benefit to a customer base and must be considered.  Starting with the mobile internet will enable reach of a much wider audience and they can run trageted ad campaigns on mobile internet sites which will produce much better ROI than simply trying to drive traffic to download their iPhone app (which is not measurable and excluding to the masses if  integrated into traditional media). Only recently I published a press release on my blog from the IAB who conducted research with Nationwide showing  that using mobile and online advertising in combination can significantly increase brand awareness and purchase consideration:

http://wp.me/pxxzu-6R

I have been working in mobile with some of the worlds leading brands since early 2003 across many sectors.  Mobile is a powerful communications channel whether it is engendering loyalty, acquiring customers or retaining customers. It delivers in all these areas across all mobile formats.

Tweet this

Posted By, 26 February 2010 10:30am, Graham Charlton @ Econsultancy

One trend I’ve noticed lately is that the few UK retailers that have launched mobile commerce services have opted to do this via mobile apps rather than a mobile website. Both Next and Net-A-Porter have the app, but not the mobile site.

Is there an argument for producing an app rather than a mobile site? Or should retailers be looking to reach as many customers as possible with a mobile site? Or should they have both?

I’ve listed some of the arguments for and against…

Why have a mobile commerce app?

Since smartphones, and the iPhone in particular, currently dominate the mobile internet, there is an argument that an app is more likely to appeal to them.

Smartphone users are more affluent. Therefore, apps will appeal to an audience with more disposable income.

Better functionality. Smartphone features like GPS and the compass on the 3GS means that retailers can offer a richer experience, with location based services, augmented reality, or the photo function on the Amazon iPhone app.

Greater visibility. The popularity of App Store as a model for distributing apps means that retailers can get some good exposure for their apps. For example, the recently releasedNext iPhone app currently sits at number two in the Top 25 free apps list, which should guarantee plenty of downloads.

Your customers have smartphones. If you have a significant proportion of mobile visitors using Android phones and iPhones, then an app may be the best way to appeal to them.

Why have an m-commerce website?

Greater reach. An app restricts the number of customers you can appeal to.

Appeal to mobile searchers. Apps need to be downloaded in advance. If customers don’t have your app, they can’t buy from you, but if you have a mobile-optimised site, they can search and find it on their browsers.

No third party approval required. If you want an app, you’ll need to wait for approval before release and before you make adjustments. Having a mobile site means you are unrestrained in your site design and can push out updates and changes whenever you want.

No need to design multiple apps. Eventually other phones will eat into iPhone market share more and more, meaning that you may have to develop apps for several handsets. You can avoid this with a mobile site.

The browser-based mobile market is the future. According to recent Taptu research, the browser-based mobile web market will grow much faster than the app market, so a mobile site will be necessary long term.

—-

For a retailer looking for the largest possible audience for its products and services, the best starting point may be a website optimised for all mobiles, as this allows you to reach the widest possible audience. You allow people to stumble upon your site via a mobile search engine.

If a healthy percentage of visitors to your mobile site are using iPhones, Android Handsets or others, then there is a case for developing a dedicated mobile app to improve the experience for these customers.

Or, to cover all bases, why not have a mobile site AND app? This is what eBay, Amazon, Best Buy and others all do, and it seems to be working for them.

URL Link:

http://econsultancy.com/blog/5481-mobile-commerce-should-you-have-a-site-or-an-app#blog_comment_22997

A flurry of money-saving mobile phone applications (apps) allowed users to save nearly £2 billion last year, and the savings are set to grow. Competition is heating up among app providers and the resulting price war is pushing down prices — often to zero.

About 3m shoppers used discount vouchers sent directly to mobile handsets last year and the amount saved globally is set to increase from £1.7 billion last year to £3.7 billion by 2014, according to Juniper Research, the analyst.

Graham Charlton at Econsultancy, another analyst, said: “Greater competition is bringing down prices. There are also a growing number of applications offering free trials.”

The vast majority of money-saving apps are available only on the Apple iPhone, through the Apple App store, although rivals such as BlackBerry and Android (used on smartphones like the HTC Hero), have also started to offer them.

Tweet this

BlackBerry has about 5,000 applications, while Apple says it has more than 140,000. Google’s Android handsets can access about 19,000 apps.

We tried out some of the most popular and highlight some of the best.

VOUCHERCLOUD (free)

The Apple iPhone app provides a list of discounts and special offers locally. It uses its in-built GPS to determine where you are then lists nearby discounts. You simply show the discount to the retailer to benefit. The app has been available since the start of the month and 250,000 have been downloaded so far.

From our offices at Wapping, east London, the app highlighted a 10% discount at Jessops, the camera shop, and the outdoor activities shop Cotswold. You could also get 25% off your bill at the Fish Restaurant, Café Rouge, Strada, or a two-for-one deal at Zizzi — plus lots more.

If you have a smartphone using Google’s Android, you can download My Coupons, which offers a similar service.

iBARCODE (59p)

Similar to the market-leading Red Laser app (£1.19), this allows you to compare prices for a product by scanning in the barcode using your handset’s camera. It will then highlight the price of the product from different retailers. You can also search using keywords if the item does not have a barcode.

For example, say you are looking for a Smeg SUK92MBL5, dual-fuel cooker, it will cost you £1,149 in John Lewis, but a search on iBARCODE shows that it is £1,075 at Appliance City. The service also works in France, America and Germany.

There are free barcode readers such as pic2shop, though it compares fewer retailers and there is no product search feature if you do not have a barcode to scan.

Android users can download ShopSavvy free. It also allows you to scan the barcode using your phone’s camera before comparing prices.

ATM HUNTER (free)

If you do not want to pay fees charged by some cash dispensers, this allows you to find your nearest non-fee ATM. You can also set it to find a particular bank’s machine.

ATM Hunter is also available free on BlackBerry handsets. Cashfinder, a similar application, claims to cover 99% of UK cash machines, but costs £1.79.

WIFI FINDER (free)

Wifi allows smartphone users to access the internet at faster speeds than the 3G network.

There are many Wifi “hot spots”, usually in bars, airports and stations, but some may charge for access. This application searches for all the free Wifi hotspots near you. It claims to cover 200,000 free hotspots over 135 countries.

FREE PARKING (£1.79)

This allows you to find the closest free parking zones. It will also tell you what the restrictions are and what time parking becomes free. However, the app is currently restricted to 11 central London boroughs but promises to add other areas shortly.

Nosey Parker is a more comprehensive service and costs 59p until the end of today; from tomorrow it will cost £1.79.

0870 (free)

This app converts premium-rate telephone numbers starting with 0870, 0845 (and 0800 which are free for landlines but not mobiles) to low-cost numbers starting with 01 and 02. Mobile users cannot use premium numbers as part of their free calls package and are charged as much as 35p a minute. Calls on the converted number, however, will count towards your monthly usage allowance.

PETROLPRICES (£2.99)

The difference between the most expensive and cheapest fuel was 16p a litre last week, according to petrolprices.com. It also has an iPhone application that allows you to find the cheapest petrol in your area.

It claims to cover 9,000 petrol stations in Britain and is automatically updated every weekday, excluding bank holidays. You can search for stations within a two-mile radius.

An alternative is My Gas, which is free to download.

TESCO CLUBCARD (free)

Tesco launched its app last month. It allows you to turn your mobile into a Clubcard. The screen turns into a barcode with your Clubcard details, which means you no longer have to worry about leaving your card at home. The app can be used only where a till operator is present but Tesco says it is planning to make it useable on self-service checkouts soon.

UK TAX CALCULATOR (59p) This app will allow you to work out how much tax you will be paying in any given tax year. Enter your annual salary and other details such as pension contributions and whether you are paying off a student loan and the application does the rest for you.

A more basic free version called Calculate My Salary gives you details of how much you pay in income tax and National Insurance contributions as well as your net income on a weekly, monthly or annual basis.

MINI MORTGAGE MANAGER (59p)

This app helps you to keep an eye on your home loan by calculating monthly costs as well as how much you have repaid and how much of this has gone on interest payments. BlackBerry users can download Mortgage Calculator Pro, which offers a similar service, but it costs £5.65.

VOUCHING FOR THE TASTIEST DEALS

MARK ANDRES, 25, from Bristol, who works in marketing, has been using the Vouchercloud application on his mobile phone for the past fortnight and has already saved £30.

“I recently went out for a meal with six friends and we got £61 off the total bill using a discount I found on Vouchercloud,” he said. “It’s just so easy and convenient to use.”

He also uses Skype, which allows cheap or free calls over the internet, and other shopping applications to save money using his Apple iPhone.

Andres lives with his girlfriend, Anni de Wolf, 28, a senior account manager, who also uses mobile applications to save money.

ROAMING COST CAP

Phone bill shocks for customers who use their mobiles to surf the internet abroad should become a thing of the past when European rules on roaming charges come into effect tomorrow. A cut-off mechanism will kick in once €50 (£44) is spent on data roaming. If you want to spend more, you’ll have to contact your network.

Mike Wilson at moneysupermarket.com said: “A cap should wipe out the cases where people are stung with unreasonable bills for using their mobile internet abroad.”

URL Link:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/consumer_affairs/article7043589.ece