January, 2010
Mobango, a website that allows free ringtones, apps and games for phones, has seen a 500% growth in downloads. This success marks Mobango as the fastest growing independent app store. Their CEO, Fabio Pezzotti, attributes their success to word of mouth and content sharing.
January, 2010
Citibank has updated their iPhone app to appeal more to Citi credit card users. The app allows consumers to check their accounts and provides the date of their upcoming payments. The app is available free of charge on iTunes.
January, 2010 Adobe has released an updated version of its popular Photoshop i-Phone app. The app allows for quick editing and sharing of photos. The newest version offers video playback, the ability to adjust the sharpness of photos quicker and even more photo borders to choose from.
January, 2010
According to Opera’s State of the Mobile Web report, Facebook is the most popular social network on the mobile web. Seeing a growth of over 600%, Facebook outgrew the previous leader, VKontakte. On another note, Twitter grew the most with a 2800% increase in mobile usage from last year.
January, 2010 Bloomingdale’s Lexington Ave. store has launched an interactive mobile voting component to its store windows. Digital signs are displayed with a text-in code for consumers to vote for their favorite (out of three) window displays. The number of votes is constantly updated and displayed on the sign in each window. This SMS text-in allows for a quick and easy way for consumers to interact with the store.
January, 2010
Teichman Fine Jewelers in Beverly Hills, CA has used an SMS campaign for Valentine’s Day to grow their consumer database. The campaign, which featured a mobile text code, gave incentive to join through sweepstakes, discounts, and dating advice. The unique text code allowed for the company to not only track the text-ins, but to also grow their database with their targeted consumer.
January, 2010
Dockers will be running a TV commercial during the Super Bowl that features mobile tagging. The tag itself will work by having consumers open the Shazam application, a music app and mobile site, and snap “Tag” at any point during the commercial. The tag then redirects the consumers to a co-branded Dockers and Shazam site, where they can buy the campaign’s music track as well as learn more about the “Wear The Pants” campaign.
January, 2010 Dairy Queen targets the simple-minded mobile user with its newest iPhone app. The app is easy to use and allows consumers to locate the nearest Dairy Queen. It also gives a simplified version of their menu and nutritional information.
January, 2010 The National Republican Congressional Committee will host a live SMS chat during President Obama’s State of The Union on January 27th. People can text UNION to 777218 to join in. On the flip side, the White House will host live video of the State of the Union on its mobile app as it takes place this Wednesday. With the growth of mobile, politicians are even participating.
January, 2010 Crisp Wireless looks to make mobile banner ads more effective with its newest launch. This smartphone technology, rightly named Adhesion, is a fixed placement of mobile banner ads. Currently, banner ads disappear as consumers scroll down their phone. Adhesion will allow them to remain in place and provide a longer opportunity for consumers to view and interact with them.
January 2010
H&R Block ia pursuing new clients and entering the realm of social media and online blogging communities. Backed by a team of 1,000 tax-professional members, H&R has hit Twitter, forums, blogs and Facebook by answering tax questions from large business owners to small home owners. The goal is to inform and educate potential clients who might be interested in using their full service online or store front tax preparation services.
January, 2010 DKNY is targeting women on the go with their newest i-Phone app. The app introduces women to their Cozy line of clothing and suggests certain styles for wearing it. The app also locates nearby stores that sell the Cozy.
January, 2010
GQ’s application for the January version of the printed magazine, featuring pop-sensation Rihanna on the cover, has reached 12,000 consumer downloads. An average of 83 minutes is spent reviewing the app once consumers download as compared to 71 minutes spent reading the magazine. Any advertisement featured in the magazine also appears on the app version. The app is available for purchase at $2.99.
January, 2010
Tetris, the video game made popular by Nintendo Game Boy, has successfully reached 100 million dollars in mobile download sales making it the most successful mobile game to date. The game has been available for download since 2005 and recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary.
January, 2010
Turner Classic Movies will be extending their reach to mobile outlets to keep their viewers connected. TCM will feature mobile apps for iPhone, iTouch, Google Android phones and Blackberry devices. On the app, consumers can see movie listings for up to two months in advance, as well as access the TCM Movie Database, which provides backgrounds for fans’ favorite movies.
January, 2010
Continental Airlines have found they had a higher Click Through Rate with their mobile ads as opposed to their mobile app advertisements. Ads placed on mobile websites earned 80% more airline ticket sales than their mobile application did. The case study, found here, also states that the ads had better results when placed at the top of the mobile site than near the bottom.
January, 2010 Hearst Magazine is targeting their consumers with an easier way to order their subscriptions – through SMS opt-ins. Readers of their magazines such as Seventeen, Country Living and Cosmopolitan can find text codes on subscription inserts in the publications.
January, 2010 Liberty Mutual targets drivers in their new app and let’s them experience first hand what it’s like to be a senior citizen behind the wheel of a car. This driving simulator app is a fun way for drivers to learn a new appreciation for senior citizens. You can sample and play the app online too.
January, 2010 The first ever Mobile Upfront will take place on March 16 in New York. The daylong event will consist of presentations, panels and forums led by Havas, Omnicom Group, Interpublic Group, MDC Partners and many others. An expo will accompany the event which will showcase the latest in mobile advertising and technology.
January, 2010
FastMall, an app by MindSmack, makes shopping easier for anyone with car-locating GPS, mall maps and soon the capability to find deals or coupons from participating stores. FastMall can also work offline through map downloads in the case of a mall with bad mobile phone reception. FastMall currently features over 250,000 stores on their application.
January, 2010
Wow Bao, a Chicago restaurant specializing in Chinese steamed buns, has created an iPhone application for on-the-go consumers. Customers can easily customize and send in their order while they are out, ultimately avoiding lines and waiting. Exit41 will be handling the company’s online orders as well as their delivery or takeout call-center.
January 2010
Carls Jr. partners with Kim Kardashian to launch an online viral event called “salads are hot” in which anyone can sign onto the Carl’s Jr. website at a specified time and watch Kim Kardashian eat a salad. Participants who have purchased a salad in advanced will be given a special code that will allow them to ask Ms. Kardashian questions during the live broadcast over the internet.
January, 2010 QVC’s mobile app allows consumers to shop from their phone and away from their couch. Now, you can find the latest deals on fashion, electronics, beauty and more while on the go. This app takes shopping to the next level.
January, 2010 Gartner Technology Business Research predicts that consumers will spend $25.8 billion in the mobile app market by 2013. The new report also states that consumers will spend over $6.2 billion this year alone. With such a growing market, brands and marketers will be smart to stay on track.
January, 2010
Tasti D-Lite launched a member rewards program known as “TastiRewards” in which members who link their Twitter/Foursquare accounts with their TastiRewards account will earn additional points for every purchase. In return every purchase made on the TastiRewards card is updated on the user’s Twitter/Foursquare page resulting in exposure for Tasti D-Lite. This is the first example of a restaurant chain using social media to a build loyalty program.
January, 2010
Pepsi launched the “Pepsi Refresh Project” which aims to donate 20 million dollars worth of grants to benefit organizations involved in heath, education, the environment, the arts and culture. Users can submit their own stories and encourage other members to vote for their idea. Users can vote and petition for grants online at www.refresheverything.com.
January, 2010 Fox has an issued a formal complaint with Apple regarding an iPhone app created by RIV Creations that uses the Fox logo and trademark. The app aggregates headlines from the Fox News mobile site. The mobile app costs 99 cents and also has versions for other media sources such as The New York Times and the BBC. Apple has yet to pull the plug on the app.
January, 2010 The Guardian, a British newspaper, has found success with its paid app. With over 70,000 downloads, this helps to show other publications or brands that charging for their mobile app may work. The app offers personalization and downloads of news, photos and audio clips.
January, 2010 At the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas, NV last week, LG and Verizon both demonstrated 4G mobile networks. With 4G, you will, for example, be able to download an entire movie to your phone in under a minute. 4G will truly make your phone your primary communication device. Verizon plans to roll out 4G phones to 30 markets by the end of 2010.
January, 2010
Lego is using an iPhone app in conjunction with their current “Click Moments” campaign. iPhone users who download the app can take a photo of themselves or a friend and have their face memorialized in Lego form. From there, users can send their photo through a variety of outlets, such as email and tweets.
