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Geo-fencing and location-based services (LBS) are all the rage right now, with new offerings being announced daily.  Yet, there exists a very compelling and valuable location-based technology available right now from Interactive Mediums — our “Location” Campaign.

My colleague, Amanda Gilmore, worked with lifestyle alcohol brand VeeV to connect its customers with the nearest store offering their product using the simple effectiveness of SMS text messaging.  Texting VEEV to 75309 prompts you for your zip code, after which the nearest store and address is returned in real time.  It’s a perfect example of how integration — in this case with a database of distribution points and location data submitted from consumers — is made easier with a technology such as our Engagement Platform, and drives real value in mobile marketing programs.  Imagine other possibilites, such as embedding a web link in these messages to redeem a scannable mobile coupon or pointing customers to drink recipes.

Just like another client Amanda acquired for Interactive Mediums, the Chicago Housing Authority, VeeV is providing an immensely valuable service to its customers that is both a convenience and direct revenue contributor/cost saver.  More brands that sell via distribution channels like VeeV need to take advantage of solutions like our new Location Campaign and make the interaction a centerpiece of any and all promotional materials.  Customers cannot consume your product if they can’t find it!  Contact Amanda to learn more if you’re interested.

Yesterday we posted another article to Technorati, this one titled, “Mobile Marketing: So easy to get started, not so easy to integrate.”  Recent experience at a mobile marketing conference brought to light issues suggesting agencies – who are involved with or control many mobile efforts – require strong technology partners who also can help close the loop on mobile marketing by integrating with the client’s systems and data as needed.  It’s simply insufficient to engage with customers, you must also measure the impact to prove value.  Check it out.

Advertising and creative agencies, especially those with a digital orientation or division, are often the gateway though which mobile marketing capabilities are sourced by brands.  As Vice President of Mobile Marketing for DIGITAS, Brett Leary is in just such a position and is the subject of this edition of our blog interview series.  DIGITAS is among the leading interactive agencies with strong name recognition among marketers and agency peers alike.  Brett’s one of the mobile marketing practice leaders within DIGITAS, providing strategic counsel on mobile marketing tactics, best practices, trends and technologies.  As our first interview with someone from the agency side of the mobile value chain, Brett has a unique perspective on how mobile has served – and could serve – the needs of brands.  Note these are Brett’s thoughts alone and do not necessarily represent those of his company.

Q – How are mobile projects typically sourced by agency clients?  Do clients come to them, or are agencies pitching projects?  If it tends to vary, what does it depend on?  As opposed to how it’s done today, do you think there’s a more ideal approach that agencies and clients alike should take?

A – They do tend to vary, however agencies, especially those with strong digital capabilities, are definitely being more proactive in pitching mobile ideas to their clients.  The more successful of these efforts tend to focus on using mobile to solve client problems, not specific mobile tactics.  So however mobile can reduce costs, sell more product, build customer loyalty, etc. is the way that successful proactive efforts are often being led.  This type of outreach is most well received when a client has some mobile experience under its belt.  Ironically, those clients without a lot of mobile background tend to align their efforts less with business problems than with point projects such as a standalone mobile application (e.g. iPhone app) – it’s the “shiny object” effect.  Clients with apps in their rearview mirror have typically evolved to a point where they realize the next steps are not just about apps, but rather how their apps and other mobile marketing efforts align with an overarching business and marketing strategy.

Q – When a project depends on technology, be it mobile, email, social media or another, how do agencies bring the right blend of capabilities to ensure projects succeed?  How important is it to consider integration with a client’s internal systems and data or does that vary based on the type of project?

A – The agencies and clients that do it right usually take a “top-down approach,” that starts with having a cross-functional team identify a client’s objectives and mapping some success metrics.  Doing so helps ensure  that the recommended approach reflects a solution tailored to solve a client problem versus trying to push a specific channel and/or tactic just for the sake of getting something into the market.  Once a plan is in place, the cross-functional team is then tasked with bringing the best technologies and technology partners together to bring a recommend solution to life.   With regards to your last question,  integration requirements will always vary, but the important point is that agencies and clients alike should always be thinking about how mobile technologies could be integrated with existing systems to help them better understand and/or better service their existing and potential customers.

Q – It’s hard to talk about mobile without mentioning social media or other digital channels like email or the web.  How are agencies dealing with the cross channel coordination among these channels that marketers appear to be wanting more and more?

A – Very soon, I think you will see emerge what are effectively “blueprints” for how digital channels best work with one another to meet various marketing challenges.  We are at a stage right now in the digital market space where there is a lot of testing and learning going on in various channels and best practices are starting to slowly emerge for different types of industries.  To get there faster, the more progressive agencies are doing all they can to understand these different channels and more importantly how consumers use them, hiring smart people with strong backgrounds in each and working with clients to map out approaches that lead with strategy and objectives versus standalone tactics.

Q – Large brands, who tend to be consumer goods manufacturers and among an agency’s blue chip clients, seem to fixate on mobile applications as a keystone of their mobile strategies.  Conversely, businesses that serve their customers directly, like retailers and large restaurant chains, appear to take a broader brush approach that could include apps but also a variety of other technologies like text messaging and the mobile web.  Aside mobile applications, are there other more direct consumer engagement strategies large brands can take advantage of in the same vein as retailers?

A – Yes, many brands have certainly launched their share of mobile applications as a first step into the mobile space.  Launching an app is a fairly low-involvement and low-cost exercise when compared to  pulling together multiple internal team resources and outside vendors to perhaps launch an integrated mobile couponing initiative.  While many brands are still testing to see if their branded app or mobile website can serve as a utility or destination that further deepens their relationship with a consumer they are all ultimately interested in learning if the mobile channel can be used to help them sell more product.

That said, there are branded goods companies exploring new approaches to leveraging Mobile.  These buyers are usually receptive to testing and learning about new ways to help drive their businesses forward.  Areas such as couponing, mobile media, CRM, mobile/social combinations, paid mobile search and to some extent mobile commerce are all being discussed at these types of companies.

Retailers on the other hand, as you point out, have a lot more control over their customer relationships by virtue of having the physical stores and point of sale systems (customer data).  Thus, most retailers are pretty much on board with mobile – at least with its promise of driving more foot traffic and sales.  They can and are experimenting with a variety of mobile initiatives such as couponing, location-based services and loyalty programs all of which are designed to help them build a better business.

Q – I’ve read articles suggesting that brands are frustrated by the lack of mobile smarts among its agency partners and that gap threatens the relationship.  What are agencies doing or could do to close that gap?

A – Mobile is still a relatively new and more technical marketing channel compared to others.  When you couple this with the fact that the channel is still rapidly evolving and doing so within a highly fragmented ecosystem you can see why some clients and agencies are scrambling to keep pace.  The smarter agencies have sought out experienced mobile professionals to help them build their expertise, some have forged strategic alliances with pure-play mobile marketing firms and others are investing the necessary time and resources to quickly scale their mobile in-house experience. 

Q – As is common to all our interviews, I conclude by asking the “year of mobile” question.  What do you think needs to happen between now and the end of the year for businesses and consumer alike to recognize 2010 as the year mobile became a significant marketing and interaction channel?

A – Depends on who you ask.  For many businesses, it’s already happened.  Consider the millions of dollars eBay has processed with its mobile efforts, or how financial services companies have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars by deflecting phone calls to their call centers by using text alerts.  For these companies and many more, mobile has become a key and meaningful component of their businesses and will be years to come.  For other companies that are just beginning to take their initial steps into the mobile space it still comes down to the question, “what’s it worth to my business?”  It’s thus incumbent on agency and technology providers alike to help clients answer this question by proving that mobile can impact their business in meaningful and measureable ways.

Today by way of a Retailwire.com promotional email, I downloaded a new SymphonyIRI report titled, “The Next Generation of Shopper Marketing – Re-Architecting Shopper Marketing for Maximum Performance.”  I thought the report was timely given this recent post to Technorati where we call out CPG brands and retailers as standing to benefit from working with agency partners to source new generation digital marketing technology platforms.

The report echoes comments made in this blog post (Price Tops List of Retail Loyalty Factors; Makes Mobile Engagement Essential) where we describe the loyalty challenge facing retailers and manufactured goods companies.

Data summarized in the SymphonyIRI report is just the latest validation for the value of mobile-centric digital marketing.  The nature of today’s shopper, always “on the go” and often armed with a smartphone places a premium on targeting the mobile channel customer experience with timely and relevant messages, offers and calls to action.  Consider the following excerpts from the report:

“In an environment marked by intense competition, rapidly changing media, and fragmented brand loyalty, CPG marketers are faced with the fact that the “old way” of marketing is simply not bringing the desired results.”

“On any given day, 3,000 marketing messages reach the average consumer. As technology advances, this number will only go up. Information overload has become all too common.”

“Only 5% of shoppers are loyal to a single brand, and store brands have posted sizable growth, particularly over the course of the recession.”

“Old marketing tricks, it seems, just don’t work anymore. It’s time for a new playbook.”

“CPG marketers must quickly adapt, exploring new media and developing competencies which will allow communication with consumers at the next level.”

 “According to Colloquy, the average U.S. household participates in 14.1 loyalty programs. Such a crowded marketplace leaves competing retailers feverishly working to “out-do” one another. The result is definitely not customer loyalty. In reality, many of today’s “loyalty programs” are truly discount programs.”

The report also touches on the customer service aspect to shopper marketing, an attribute of digital channel marketing software described in this recent Technorati post.  Technology enabled Customer Relationship Management, inclusive of sales, marketing and service, will soon be as commonplace among retailers and CPG makers as it is in the b-t-b world.

“And, of course, customer service is essential. One-third of shoppers feel that additional staff would simplify the shopping experience. Certainly, it is not all about quantity of staff, but rather quality. Team members must be visible and engaging.”

Yesterday we posted another article to Technorati, titled “SMS Text Message Marketing Signals Shift in Agency/Client Relationships.”  Based on first-hand experience, we see a tremendous opportunity for mobile channel marketing to fuel higher performing and perpetual efforts for agency clients, while giving agencies access to information they can use to better understand client customers and pitch new business ideas.  The key, as pointed out in the article, is working with a technology partner like Interactive Mediums to make it all happen.

Today we posted an article to Technorati titled, “Cross Channel Marketing from a Mobile Point of View.”  As marketers increasingly employ digital marketing channels such as mobile, social media and email, the need to orchestrate these efforts consistently will become key to success.  Technology companies such as Interactive Mediums, with a strong background in mobile, are uniquely positioned to meet this need.  Check it out.

We posted a few weeks back about using Augmented Reality as a utility and not a gimmick.

It seem’s Vodafone, Europe’s largest carrier, has caught on. They’ve just partnered with developer Junaio to offer an augmented reality channel “Wo guckst Du?” dedicated to live game stats and public viewing places for upcoming soccer matches in the World Cup.

People in Germany wondering where the nearest public viewing place is to watch a game, can hold up their phone and get immediate locations of the nearest public viewing places and the games that are playing.

Those lucky enough to be in South Africa can get live streaming of game statistics right on the field. Anyone at the game who is watching can access real-time statistics such as goals, shots on goal, corner kicks, off-sides, penalties, time of possession, passes, fouls, etc., or simply review the team line-up directly overlaid onto the football field. All statistics and game data is from Impire.

Having real-time statistics and information about players displayed on the real playground is only a glimpse into the future of watching sports. Think of what this will do to the recruiting industry. Imagine scouts visiting college games and getting live data on each and every breakthrough player right on their phone! With more education the competition will only get trickier to find the next Lebron.

Yesterday we placed an article with Technorati titled, “From Alerts to Engagement: The Value Dimensions of SMS Text Messaging.”  Technorati represents a chance for Interactive Mediums to take its message of multi channel engagement to a large audience.  For those unfamiliar with Technorati, here are some stats about the site from the site itself:

“The largest social media advertising network
The 4th largest social media property*
The 2nd largest blog media property*
248+ million unique visitors**
500+ influential blogs and niche social networks
Online properties that introduce blog content to millions of consumers”

Check back here for announcements of new Technorati posts.

For this installment of Hello Mobile! Q&A, I sat down virtually with Chris Lanier, who as a Mobility Solution Specialist with Microsoft brings a unique and important perspective to the debate over mobile as a marketing channel.  Chris is the “go to guy” for some of Microsoft’s largest enterprise customers when it comes to mobile technologies.  He plays the roles of evangelist and advisor to some 200 Microsoft field staff and a nearly equal number of strategic customers.  Note that these are Chris’ thoughts alone and do not necessarily represent those of his company.

Q – Since you come from the device side of mobile, you probably have a unique perspective on the “device as a marketing platform” concept.  To what extent, if any, do device makers consider the needs or desires of marketers when evolving or creating new mobile device experiences?  Or stated another way, how important is it for device makers and their software engineers to consider the viability of their platform to marketers?

A – The same steps required to make a mobile platform attractive to application developers applies to marketers.  By that, I mean supporting end user scenarios that delight consumers and keep them coming back for more, whether it’s opening and reading an email, sharing a photo or participating in a social network.  The better these are implemented the stickier the device will be with consumers.  Those same attributes allow marketers to craft equally compelling experiences to target their customers.

Q – Mobile applications got a shot in the arm with Apple’s integrated approach to distribution and device but the mobile web seems to be rising quietly as a better and more universal alternative to proprietary platforms.  How do you see the debate between proprietary apps versus the mobile web playing out, especially when it comes to mobile marketing?

A – What you’re getting at here is the emergence of HTML5 as a basis for web applications that appear and behave in some ways like native device applications.  I believe there’s really no substituting a rich native application experience with the mobile web; and while I expect the number of really innovative web applications to continue to grow, the best user experiences will be achieved with a blend of rich client-based apps running on the local device and cloud services.

Q – How do you think the device makers view text messaging as a peer to peer communication method and as a marketing channel for businesses?  Do you think it will still play a role in the super-rich smartphone world of the near future?  Do you think there’s any further innovation to be accomplished around text messaging?

A – I think the ubiquity of text messaging technology above all else makes it viable for the foreseeable future.  The fact nearly every mobile device is text message enabled means it won’t go away anytime soon.  For marketers, any alternative mobile technology requires a trade off.  Regarding innovation, there are limits to what text messaging can accomplish.  I think where innovation will be happen is in how customers employ text as part of their business operations.  Any use case where a timely and responsive interaction is merited is one potentially well suited to text.

Q – Social media is hot right now among consumers, marketers and device makers.  Can you envision the optimal way that marketers should tap into social to reach and develop relationships with their customers?

A – Like any mobile experience, you want to make sure you do social “right.”  You don’t want users trying out your application once, only to be disappointed and abandon your application or service.  The key is balancing the needs of a mobile user, the capabilities of the mobile device and the value promise of the particular social network.

Q – What do you think the key trends will be among the various device makers over the next 12-18 months?

A – It’s an exciting time in our space for sure, although it’s hard to foresee the future given the pace of change.  I do think two innovations you will soon see will be around mobile gaming and video; both will be bolstered by the availability of 4G.  Companies with gaming assets will be able to tap into a new distribution channel.   Video will have many applications including video conferencing.  Tablet computing is hot right now, but the right blend of hardware platform, operating system and services must be available to see that market really scale.

Q – Many pundits are predicting that 2010 will be the elusive “year of mobile.”  What do you think needs to happen for the remainder of this year for that to happen?

A – I think for this to happen, smartphones will need to achieve the same ubiquity as feature phones.  Right now, smartphones comprise around 10 percent of devices globally, so we are not there yet.  For consumers and marketers alike, mobile devices need to achieve a level of sophistication such that compromises around user experience and bandwidth no longer constrain innovation and great user experiences.  When that shift occurs, exciting things are bound to happen.

For the second installment of our blog interview series, I sat down virtually with Tim Grace, who as Senior Manager of Consumer Products for Apartments.com oversees his firm’s mobile channel efforts.

For those unaware, Apartments.com is probably the leading online rental property search brand (the name alone is “golden” in terms of their target).  They are a part of Classified Ventures, which consists of a group of advertising properties including Apartments.com, Cars.com, AparmentHomeLiving.com, and HomeGain.com.  Classified Ventures itself is owned by five large media companies, so reading between the lines you can see the vertical integration going on here.  I point out the chain of players involved because publishers, media companies and consumer online services are collectively leading the way with innovative mobile engagement strategies.

With text message integration and a popular iPhone application version of its service under its belt, Apartments.com clearly sees the mobile channel as a valuable extension of its core, proven online business model.  Note that these are Tim’s thoughts alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the company.

Q – Unlike a retailer, consumer online services would seem to view mobile almost exclusively as a fulfillment or service channel as opposed to a platform for marketing.  How does that impact such a business’ approach to mobile?

A – I think, in a best case scenario, both retail/e-commerce and service channels leverage mobile both as an extension of their core business and as a way to message to new & existing customers.  In my opinion, any business with an existing web presence and some level of transactional goals should start out their mobile efforts aiming to extend their existing service/fulfillment channels there.  This isn’t to say the outreach component isn’t important – it is.  To me, however, it would be backwards to start developing an elaborate SMS notification or couponing program before ensuring your existing web content is fully accessible to mobile users.

Q – Social media like Twitter and Facebook are probably on your radar screen.  How do you see social networking fitting into a consumer online business generally and in terms of the mobile channel specifically?

A – The phrase “mobile is social” is en vogue these days, largely due to the success of Foursquare and other location-based services.  While that statement strikes me as a tad hyperbolic, I do agree that the two concepts are heavily intertwined.  For consumer online businesses, I view social as requiring a two-pronged strategy: socializing the product and brand storytelling leveraging social tools and channels.  Mobile can be powerful in both efforts.  For most consumer online businesses, content sharing and collaboration among consumers are key opportunities to socialize the product experience.  Making content more portable and tapping common sharing methods like SMS, email, Facebook messages/status updates, tweets etc. to pass information to trusted advisors is a great example of how mobile plugs into the social ecosystem.

Q – The iPhone seems to be the “go to” platform for mobile applications for all businesses.  What about the iPhone makes it good for connecting with customers and how should online services approach mobile application development?

A – A heavy focus on the  iPhone is definitely a double-edge sword for marketers and online product folks.  The amazing level of innovation by developers on the platform opens up an array of unique opportunities to engage consumers, hence the boom of native application development, but it’s easy to forget that most Americans don’t own one.  In my experience, online businesses should view iPhone app development as an opportunity to evolve their existing products to leverage experiences only feature-rich devices like the iPhone can offer.  If your experience is search driven, how can layering in GPS or use of the phone’s camera add value to this process?  Don’t simply build an iPhone that does exactly what your website does.

Q – For consumer-facing online businesses yet to embrace mobile, can you recommend some ways they get started?

 A –The clear place to start for an online business new to mobile is to ensure you are not providing a degraded experience to mobile web users.  Don’t be seduced by the improving quality of the WebKit browsers used by iOS, Android, etc.  Your website doesn’t work on mobile, period.  Determine what core features your users will need if they visit your site on a mobile device and deliver that as elegantly as possible within the browser.  You will immediately see returns in your key metric performance by doing this.

Beyond that, I’d encourage online businesses to think about how features unique to mobile devices can deliver value to the bottom line.  Would your customers be willing to pay more for a premium version of your product that sent them an SMS message when a product they love went on sale?  Can you charge for a mobile application that offers a powerful (and unique to mobile) search experience that leverages mapping or photo search or bar code scanning?  Mobile commerce isn’t the only way to monetize the space and I’d encourage online brands that aren’t strictly e-commerce to find ways to add value both to users and their balance sheet in mobile development.

Q – My last question is a bit cliché, but gets the heart of what’s needed for mobile to succeed as a business and marketing channel: What will it take for 2010 to be considered the year of mobile among consumer online services businesses?

A – At a recent conference I heard someone say that we should stop trying to pin down whether this is the “year of mobile” and embrace the idea that this is the “time for mobile.”  From my vantage point, I think online businesses have reached the point where they know mobile is important and that they need to invest in a strategy there.  The Google/Apple arms race that has emerged in the past few months has certainly helped raise the mobile profile, but I feel confident in saying that the tipping point has already been reached.  The challenge moving forward is more or less one of education.  Marketers, product professionals and developers at these online businesses do need to avail themselves of all resources possible to help them navigate what is a complex landscape.