TEXTS THAT ROCK! ....SMG Evansville is sending them to YOU! Go to http://www.smgevansville.com and register your cell phone to receive texts about concert announcements, sales, discounts, backstage passes and more!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
ROBERT STADIUM/SMG ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH AGENT511 TO SEND CONCERTS RELATED TEXTS
TEXTS THAT ROCK! ....SMG Evansville is sending them to YOU! Go to http://www.smgevansville.com and register your cell phone to receive texts about concert announcements, sales, discounts, backstage passes and more!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
TACO BELL UNVEILS MOBILE STRATEGY DURING IAB KEYNOTE
NEW YORK - Fast-food chains have realized that mobile has to be an integral part of their marketing mix, and Taco Bell’s increasing investment in mobile is a case-in-point.
While the quick-service restaurant giant still invests heavily in traditional media—especially television advertising—mobile is becoming an bigger and bigger element of Taco Bell’s marketing strategy, with the roll out of a mobile site, mobile apps and mobile advertising campaigns.
“Mobile has become increasingly important for us to target our out-and-about customers, whether it’s late night or on the way to work,” Ms. Wolfson said. “Mobile complements our core TV advertising, helping us stay connected to consumers from the couch to the car on their way to the store.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
WESTERN KENTUCKY BLOOD CENTER ENHANCES WITH MOBILE TECHNOLOGY!!!
With the help of Agent511, Western Kentucky Blood Center has set up a great service to let donors know when their blood type is in need. For instance, if one ' s blood type is B+ then they could volunteer to sign up for the B+ list and also the county in which they live. When there is a blood shortage (i.e., disaster situations, states of emergency, etc) , a text message will be sent to his/her phone to notify the donor and direct them to the nearest drive (Example: "Friends, The Blood Center has a shortage of B+ Blood. We will be open until midnight tonight at 717 Main Street. Thank you for saving a life. Pls. Forward."
Using text messaging, blood Centers have an immediate and instant way to continue to engage their community and save lives. Having texts sent directly to the donor's phone allows individuals to receive information anytime, anywhere. Help your community and your loved ones by taking action and donating!
To sign up for Western KY Regional Blood Center alerts, visit: www.wkrbc.org
*standard text message rates apply
Monday, July 13, 2009
AGENT 511 ATTENDS EVANSVILLE OTTERS GAME WITH EVANSVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE!
Along with the Evansville Chamber of Commerce, Agent 511 enjoyed a Thursday night watching the Evansville Otters baseball team beat Florence. In game one there was a walk off homerun in the bottom of the 9th and game two was a blowout with Evansville winning 10-4. This great event helped bring the Agent 511 family closer to the Evansville community and clients.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
ABA CHAMPIONS, KENTUCKY BISONS, GO MOBILE!!! Share
The ABA National Basketball Champs, Owensboro's own Kentucky Bisons offer a great mobile service to help you follow their success. Courtesy of Agent 511, you can sign up to get Bison final scores, Bison updates, as well as interact through mobile contests during the game. The contest brings enhanced entertainment and excitement to the games. For example, during the game a question will be asked and the first person to text in the correct answer has an opportunity to win prizes such as cash, merchandise, tickets, etc. Also, all who participate generally receive a coupon to a local venue. You no longer have to wait until you get home to check your e-mails or their website to keep up with the extraordinary team. You get a text message sent directly to your cell phone immediately after game with final scores.
Sign up by going to: http://www.kentuckybisons.
*Standard Text message rates apply
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
YMCA GOES MOBILE!
Owensboro YMCA has joined the mobile world. This great service, courtesy of Agent 511, offers YMCA membership deals, inspirational tips, event updates/reminders, and or schedule changes via text. This advanced technology implies instant contact unlike any other. Recently, the Owensboro YMCA had a power outage and was able to notify members signed up immediately through text. People are always on the go so with text you can hit a moving target.
Sign up by going to http://www.owensboroymca.org/mission.html
*standard text messaging rates apply
Thursday, July 2, 2009
REPORT CRIME WITH THE NEWEST TECHNOLOGY!
Along with Text Blast, courtesy of Agent 511 and OPD, a mobile package has been created to enhance the safety of your community. You can now text in crime tips as well as calling. This is great for a break in when you do not want anyone to hear your voice. Also, when a fight breaks out at a bar, school, or park and you don’t want anyone to know who reported to the cops. This service brings extra privacy to the reporter, creating a safer environment for you and your children.
*To report a crime simply text “OPD and your message” to 511-511.
*To report a crime simply text “OPD and your message” to 511-511.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
STAY ALERT WTIH OPD TEXT!!
Owensboro Police Department is now providing citizens REAL-TIME INFORMATION in the community-With this service, safety in the community will soar! This great service offers citizens immediate information on Missing Person/Amber Alerts, Crime Tips, Real-Time Traffic Alerts, and OPD Press Releases via text, right to your phone! You'll be kept in the loop with all safety issues and police alerts as soon as anything happens.
This advanced technology implies instant contact unlike any other. People are always on the go so with text you can hit a moving target and know instantly the second anything happens!
So keep you and your family safe, and don’t be left out to dry...sign up and protect yourself!
Sign up at http://www.owensboro.org/p
*standard text messaging rates apply
Monday, June 22, 2009
Mobile Marketing Advantages
With its interactive, measurable, and direct features, mobile marketing represents an enormous opportunity and is fast becoming the marketing channel of choice for organizations of all types.
Mobile marketing is highly interactive and personalized and has a powerful and immediate impact. By integrating mobile technology into existing communication campaigns, businesses enable their customers to take advantage of special offers, cash in mobile coupons, obtain additional, relevant information and receive alerts about events.
Mobile marketing enables advertisers to send out custom-made and personalized multimedia campaigns to lists of targeted audiences—enabling customers to respond directly. A few of the attractive features of mobile SMS marketing include:
- Anytime, anywhere communication that is direct and immediate
- Can be targeted to particular audience groups based on age, profession or gender
- Cost effective
- Huge potential for viral marketing as customers tend to forward messages in groups
- Can be easily integrated in cross-media including TV, print and radio
Monday, June 15, 2009
Agent 511 Pool Party!
Come out to the classiest pool/luau party in the area hosted by Agent 511, Finlandia, Southern Comfort, and El Jimador.
*The pool/ hot tub party will start at 7, and the dance floor will start at 9! Music will be provided by DJ ANK G and DJ Kreyon!!
*Tickets: $10 in advance and $15 at the door
*V.I.P tables: $150 plus gratuity. Includes 5 seats.
*Directions: 5 miles east of the Owensboro By-pass on Hwy 54, just past Resurrection Cemetery. Turn right on Ed Foster Road then turn left on Wellness Drive; first building on left.
*For more info and to reserve you tickets/V.I.P tables call 270 926 3761
*The pool/ hot tub party will start at 7, and the dance floor will start at 9! Music will be provided by DJ ANK G and DJ Kreyon!!
*Tickets: $10 in advance and $15 at the door
*V.I.P tables: $150 plus gratuity. Includes 5 seats.
*Directions: 5 miles east of the Owensboro By-pass on Hwy 54, just past Resurrection Cemetery. Turn right on Ed Foster Road then turn left on Wellness Drive; first building on left.
*For more info and to reserve you tickets/V.I.P tables call 270 926 3761
Friday, June 12, 2009
CHEVRON GIVEAWAY!
PLAY THE CHEVRON GIVEAWAY!
40,000 Prizes including...Cars! Lodging! GPS! Free Gas! Gift Cards!
Free Game card at Chevron!
Play Every Day!
Visit this site to apply.... www.owensboro511.com/ct.php
40,000 Prizes including...Cars! Lodging! GPS! Free Gas! Gift Cards!
Free Game card at Chevron!
Play Every Day!
Visit this site to apply.... www.owensboro511.com/ct.ph
Monday, June 8, 2009
American Airlines launches mobile boarding passes
American Airlines is now extending its mobile boarding pass option to a total of six airports nationwide, with the expectation to include more airports in the near future.
American Airlines customers departing from any one of these six airports can now choose to receive electronic boarding passes on their mobile devices or PDA’s. Customers can elect to use mobile boarding passes on any domestic flight from these airports, including connecting flights through any other participating airport.
“Our customers are mobile by definition,” said Stacey Frantz, spokeswoman at American Airlines, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX. “We know they’re on the go, tech-savvy and are early adopters. We are looking for meaningful ways to make travel on American even more convenient for them.
“Plus, our ultimate goal is to ensure our customers have access to us when they want to through whatever channel is most convenient for them,” she said. “Today, our customers are aggressively adopting mobile applications – from Mobile Boarding to AA.com Mobile.”
American Airlines customers departing from any one of these six airports can now choose to receive electronic boarding passes on their mobile devices or PDA’s. Customers can elect to use mobile boarding passes on any domestic flight from these airports, including connecting flights through any other participating airport.
“Our customers are mobile by definition,” said Stacey Frantz, spokeswoman at American Airlines, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX. “We know they’re on the go, tech-savvy and are early adopters. We are looking for meaningful ways to make travel on American even more convenient for them.
“Plus, our ultimate goal is to ensure our customers have access to us when they want to through whatever channel is most convenient for them,” she said. “Today, our customers are aggressively adopting mobile applications – from Mobile Boarding to AA.com Mobile.”
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Skyy Vodka goes mobile for marketing strategies
Skyy Vodka launches first mobile campaign
$4 off Skyy drinks
in its first taste of the channel, Skyy Vodka is using mobile to get vodka enthusiasts to interact with the brand.
The company is running advertisements within the myOrder mobile application, offering consumers the opportunity to order a drink that is made with Skyy Vodka. The myOrder application lets users order drinks and food from their iPhones while at in-network social entertainment venues.
“Today, the consumer spends most of their time waiting at their table or in a line to place an order, instead of partaking in the social entertainment that the venue offers,” said Leo Rocco, founder/
By using the application to identify cocktail drinkers, Skyy will use myOrder to deliver messages directly to the mobile phones of vodka enthusiasts.
The ads in the myOrder application pop up when a consumer is about to order a drink. Therefore someone who was planning to order a cosmopolitan, may change there mind and go for a Skyy Vodka drink instead when the ad pops up.
My current order @ Ruby Skye
By clicking on the ad, the consumer is placing an order for a Skyy cocktail.
The ads are timed to run during happy hour and the Skyy cocktails are offered at a discounted price of $4.
What’s beneficial about these ads is they are placed front and center, right in front of the consumer. The fact that a consumer can simply click to order the cocktail adds ease of use.
myOrder
The application also intends to create a channel for entertainment venues to increase revenue and speed up order placements. MyOrder was founded by Mr. Rocco, and developed by alumni of NASA, Cisco, eBay and
“Our strategy was to create a worldwide network of social entertainment venues that provides the myOrder service to allow consumers to order and pay for food and beverage while on the premises with their mobile phone,” Mr. Rocco said. “MyOrder is a platform that finally allows for venues to be able to communicate to consumers by the masses on-premise and stay connected with them off-premise,” he said.
The application debuts this week in
“With myOrder, consumers can get their order in the queue faster—via their mobile phone—and receive their order faster, offering an improved customer experience,” Mr. Rocco said.
MyOrder is currently available on the Apple iTunes App Store, with BlackBerry and SMS apps slated for release later this year.
This information will also be accessible by venue owners, and be used to study guest preferences and to track customer order histories and the venues they patronize.
“Venue owners can process more orders, because all orders come into the myOrder Communication Terminal,” Mr. Rocco said.
“The terminal organizes the orders and combines like orders, so the venue can fullfil or make the ‘like’ orders at one time,” he said. “For example, a venue receives 15 vodka drink orders.
"With myOrder in place, the bartender can line up 15 glasses and make all the drinks at once—in comparison to making them one at a time for each customer, thus expediting drink delivery time."
The application will also serve as a sales and marketing platform for liquor brands.
Inspiration for myOrder stemmed from Mr. Rocco’s personal frustration at being ignored in clubs and bars and not getting efficient service.
“MyOrder allows venue owners to be able to intelligently focus their customer-service efforts,” Mr. Rocco said.
“Currently, venue owners have limited visibility in who their
“When consumers use myOrder, the venue has the ability to see who the big spenders are via the myOrder star rating, and be pro-active on a
MyOrder will use
In most cases, a venue can become set up with myOrder in as little as two days.
“The mobile phone has transformed and will continue to transform the way people collaborate and interact with one another every day,” Mr. Rocco said.
“By leveraging the mobile phone to allow consumers to make purchases on the goods that they want, consumers can immediately take advantage of the rich information available on the Web to make smarter decisions on purchasing the product they desire,” he said.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Relay for Life raises $103,000...thanks to all who supported!!
Last weekend's Relay for Life raised $103,000 for the local American Cancer Society chapter, drawing a robust crowd of about 2,500 people for the opening ceremonies.Last year's event raised $114,000, but with a few more fundraisers yet to be held, this year's total could surpass the 2008 figure."The event was very well attended," said Kirstin Horsley of the ACS here. "We had one of our largest crowds and a record number of teams with 63. We're very pleased."The event, at College View Middle School, started at 7 p.m. Friday and was scheduled to run 12 hours but got cut short at 3 a.m. Saturday when a storm drowned out the festivities."It was a perfect night, until 3 in the morning," Horsley said. "Everybody was having so much fun with activities and sales. Kids had fun with face paintings."All the cancer survivors were introduced and told how long they've survived. One women even asked for a husband."The money raised will go to education, advocacy, research and service.Two local college students received $1,000 scholarships -- Haleigh Brewer, who attends the University of Kentucky, and Meghan Lambrich of Owensboro Community and Technical College. Both are pediatric cancer survivors.Upcoming events include a cornhole tournament at Johnny B's II, 4820 Frederica St., at 2 p.m. Saturday. Registration is at 1:30 p.m.A poker run motorcycle event is planned for late June or July, but a specific date hasn't been set yet, Horsley said.And a car show is set for June 13 at OCTC. Registration is from 8 a.m. to noon. The event includes door prizes, a silent auction and a model car contest for kids.Rich Suwanski, 691-7315, rsuwanski@messenger-inquirer.com
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
WKRBC Utilizes Text to Notify Donors of Shortages and More
The Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center has begun using SMS to target donors by type during shortages. Now, through Agent511, during shortages of specific blood types, WKRBC can send text messages requesting donors. For example, if there were a shortage of type AB- blood, WKRBC can sen a message to just donors with type AB- blood requesting their help. WKRBC will also be utilizing text messages to notify donors of upcoming local blood drives and events. To sign up for notifications and updates from the Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center visit http://www.wkrbc.org/.
Chevron/Texaco Partner w/ Agent511 to Rollout Mobile Strategy
Chevron and Texaco are now sponsoring the Owensboro TextBlast services offered by Agent511. New Chevron / Texaco customers who sign up for a Chevron / Texaco credit card will receive up to $0.30 on every gallon of gasoline purchases at any Chevron or Texaco gas station. Chevron/ Texaco credit card holders will also receive a 9% discount on any purchases made inside Chevron or Texaco convenience stores. For more information regarding cardholder advantages and money-saving opportunities visit http://www.owensboro511.com/ct.php
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Monopoly at McDonald’s Game wins Best Mobile Campaign
Last year marked the addition of the first-ever mobile component to the Monopoly at McDonald’s campaign, which has been named the Best Mobile Campaign in the 2009 ad:tech Awards.
McDonald’s marketing agency The Marketing Store and mobile marketing partner Telescope were the joint recipients of the award, which recognizes the mobile campaign that best illustrates areas of branding and direct response.
“Each year we look for new and innovative ways to reach and entertain our customers with the Monopoly at McDonald’s promotion,” said Douglas Freeland, director of U.S. marketing at McDonald’s, in a statement. "Mobile game play enables customers to join the fun anytime and anywhere."
McDonald’s created a massive on-pack short code program that enabled consumers to enter the Monopoly at McDonald’s game anytime, anywhere. The game garnered the largest online game response in the history of the promotion, with almost 2 million game codes being entered by mobile users. With a pre-promotion launch on Sept. 23 and full launch on Oct. 7, the game reached millions of consumers nationally via the on-pack promotion.
The new mobile mechanic played a significant role in the pre-promotion, with nearly 15 percent of all codes entered via mobile, proving the value of immediate gratification and entertainment to the McDonald’s customer base. Players could text in their code or enter it online to collect properties. Those who collected an entire property set could win cash and prizes up to $100,000.
This was the first time in the industry that a collect-and-win game could be played across online and mobile simultaneously. McDonald’s has used the mobile channel before. In October, the fast-food giant launched an integrated Web-to-mobile campaign to promote its McRib sandwich. The campaign ran on Myxer's new Bullseye targeted advertising service. The service let McDonald's target Myxer's audience by criteria such as geography, gender, age, music genre and mobile preferences.
“The successful integration of brand creative and tailored technology is what makes this campaign unique,” said Jason George, CEO of Telescope. “The overall strategy was to drive signups and registration and drive people back in-store.”
McDonald’s marketing agency The Marketing Store and mobile marketing partner Telescope were the joint recipients of the award, which recognizes the mobile campaign that best illustrates areas of branding and direct response.
“Each year we look for new and innovative ways to reach and entertain our customers with the Monopoly at McDonald’s promotion,” said Douglas Freeland, director of U.S. marketing at McDonald’s, in a statement. "Mobile game play enables customers to join the fun anytime and anywhere."
McDonald’s created a massive on-pack short code program that enabled consumers to enter the Monopoly at McDonald’s game anytime, anywhere. The game garnered the largest online game response in the history of the promotion, with almost 2 million game codes being entered by mobile users. With a pre-promotion launch on Sept. 23 and full launch on Oct. 7, the game reached millions of consumers nationally via the on-pack promotion.
The new mobile mechanic played a significant role in the pre-promotion, with nearly 15 percent of all codes entered via mobile, proving the value of immediate gratification and entertainment to the McDonald’s customer base. Players could text in their code or enter it online to collect properties. Those who collected an entire property set could win cash and prizes up to $100,000.
This was the first time in the industry that a collect-and-win game could be played across online and mobile simultaneously. McDonald’s has used the mobile channel before. In October, the fast-food giant launched an integrated Web-to-mobile campaign to promote its McRib sandwich. The campaign ran on Myxer's new Bullseye targeted advertising service. The service let McDonald's target Myxer's audience by criteria such as geography, gender, age, music genre and mobile preferences.
“The successful integration of brand creative and tailored technology is what makes this campaign unique,” said Jason George, CEO of Telescope. “The overall strategy was to drive signups and registration and drive people back in-store.”
Monday, April 20, 2009
Join Agent 511 and the Rest of the Owensboro Community for Police Awareness Day- Sat. May 2nd
Saturday, May 2nd, 2009 the Owensboro Police Department will be hosting Police Awareness Day at their Owensboro Police Department Headquarters. Take a tour of the OPD headquarters and check out the cruisers and equipment, while meeting OPD officers. The fun filled event will also provide many children's activities as well as free child I.D. kits.
Aside from these events Agent 511 will be in attendance to teach you how to TXT in a Crime Tip and help you sign up for important OPD TXT Blasts!
The event will run from 10 am til 2 pm. Free burgers, hot dogs, drinks and more will be on hand at the event so stop by and support OPD for Police Awareness Day!
Aside from these events Agent 511 will be in attendance to teach you how to TXT in a Crime Tip and help you sign up for important OPD TXT Blasts!
The event will run from 10 am til 2 pm. Free burgers, hot dogs, drinks and more will be on hand at the event so stop by and support OPD for Police Awareness Day!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Making short codes the call to action in ads
Steve Leonard is general manager for off-deck at Motricity
By Steve Leonard
CNN’s Rick Sanchez stands before you on television, encouraging you to text-in your feedback during his interactive news program. Feeling inspired to contribute, you send your two cents to short code 44546: “Mickelson’s got this one in the bag.” The cable network then thanks you for your contribution and offers to deliver you breaking mobile news alerts from its fellow Time Warner Inc.-owned sibling magazine, Entertainment Weekly.
Seldom attuned to the latest in pop culture, you opt-in. After the third SMS update on the Lindsay Lohan/Samantha Ronson scandal, Entertainment Weekly prompts you to visit its mobile Web site and subscribe to the publication. Realizing the text alerts just aren’t enough, you deem it a worthy purchase and your relationship with these media powerhouses continues to grow.
Where am I going with this? Mobile marketing is evolving. According to Nielsen, 71 percent of current users are using data services to connect to the Internet. Among non-users, 49 percent anticipate using mobile Internet services in the future. The growth of the mobile Web brings the opportunity to enhance text message marketing with a level of fulfillment that previously did not exist.
Earlier this year, Motricity predicted that the short code would become the go-to call to action for advertisers. Remember when every commercial or print advertisement started to include a URL for more information? Mobile marketing is ready to claim that spotlight with short codes. Fulfillment is the key driver for the growth of SMS codes being the call-to-action in advertising.
A targeted SMS message sets the stage, but by presenting the chance to continue the engagement through the mobile Internet, the opportunity to provide fulfillment is there.
If the SMS message also includes a discount code or segmented microsite that appeals to the preferences of that mobile phone user, the consumer/marketer relationship is deeper and more rewarding than other static efforts.
Mobile marketing is not siloed like other types of marketing, which require a billboard, television, computer, phone call, physical visit to a store or a combination of these to complete the cycle. Mobile marketing doesn’t just create an interaction that begins and ends – the response is measured and the brand can drive consumers to engage elsewhere or more often.
Furthermore, those engagements are personal and take place on a device that’s usually run by one person.
Put yourself in the consumer’s shoes: If I see a Web site URL in a magazine and I go to that site and browse it one time, that’s great. But it’s not measurable. Will the advertiser or company ever know that I browsed that Web site based on me seeing it in that magazine ad? But if I respond to a text message – you know where it’s coming from.
We are still hardwired to view every single text message that comes through to us. Once I, as the consumer, have given that company or brand permission to interact with me, there is an ongoing, measurable relationship. A Web site can’t reach right back out to you. An SMS can.
The first step for marketers is to embrace the short code as their call-to-action in all advertising materials. From there, embrace the growth of the channel and give your audiences new opportunities to discover all you have to offer in a dynamic new channel.
Steve Leonard is general manager for off-deck at Motricity
By Steve Leonard
CNN’s Rick Sanchez stands before you on television, encouraging you to text-in your feedback during his interactive news program. Feeling inspired to contribute, you send your two cents to short code 44546: “Mickelson’s got this one in the bag.” The cable network then thanks you for your contribution and offers to deliver you breaking mobile news alerts from its fellow Time Warner Inc.-owned sibling magazine, Entertainment Weekly.
Seldom attuned to the latest in pop culture, you opt-in. After the third SMS update on the Lindsay Lohan/Samantha Ronson scandal, Entertainment Weekly prompts you to visit its mobile Web site and subscribe to the publication. Realizing the text alerts just aren’t enough, you deem it a worthy purchase and your relationship with these media powerhouses continues to grow.
Where am I going with this? Mobile marketing is evolving. According to Nielsen, 71 percent of current users are using data services to connect to the Internet. Among non-users, 49 percent anticipate using mobile Internet services in the future. The growth of the mobile Web brings the opportunity to enhance text message marketing with a level of fulfillment that previously did not exist.
Earlier this year, Motricity predicted that the short code would become the go-to call to action for advertisers. Remember when every commercial or print advertisement started to include a URL for more information? Mobile marketing is ready to claim that spotlight with short codes. Fulfillment is the key driver for the growth of SMS codes being the call-to-action in advertising.
A targeted SMS message sets the stage, but by presenting the chance to continue the engagement through the mobile Internet, the opportunity to provide fulfillment is there.
If the SMS message also includes a discount code or segmented microsite that appeals to the preferences of that mobile phone user, the consumer/marketer relationship is deeper and more rewarding than other static efforts.
Mobile marketing is not siloed like other types of marketing, which require a billboard, television, computer, phone call, physical visit to a store or a combination of these to complete the cycle. Mobile marketing doesn’t just create an interaction that begins and ends – the response is measured and the brand can drive consumers to engage elsewhere or more often.
Furthermore, those engagements are personal and take place on a device that’s usually run by one person.
Put yourself in the consumer’s shoes: If I see a Web site URL in a magazine and I go to that site and browse it one time, that’s great. But it’s not measurable. Will the advertiser or company ever know that I browsed that Web site based on me seeing it in that magazine ad? But if I respond to a text message – you know where it’s coming from.
We are still hardwired to view every single text message that comes through to us. Once I, as the consumer, have given that company or brand permission to interact with me, there is an ongoing, measurable relationship. A Web site can’t reach right back out to you. An SMS can.
The first step for marketers is to embrace the short code as their call-to-action in all advertising materials. From there, embrace the growth of the channel and give your audiences new opportunities to discover all you have to offer in a dynamic new channel.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Mobile voting could become reality by 2012: VeriSign
By Mickey Alam Khan
LAS VEGAS – Voting by mobile devices could become a reality nationwide by 2012, according to one of the leading mobile messaging companies. Mobile voting was No. 1 in a list of five mobile messaging predictions newly released by VeriSign Inc.’s messaging and mobile media division. The success of the Obama presidential campaign last year using a combination of television, grassroots and the Internet with last-mile support from mobile is proof of the channel’s potential.
“There has been a new movement toward the acceptability of mobile,” said Michael Campbell, senior vice president of sales and marketing for VeriSign Messaging and Mobile Media. The company sees trials of mobile voting gaining ground on the local level. By 2012, the end of President Obama’s current term, VeriSign expects the mainstream use of SMS to exchange information and opinions, promote accountability and transparency. At least 10 percent of the U.S. population will use mobile to interact with government by2012, according to VeriSign.
Mobile usage will include applications to include status information pushed by government or pulled by end-users for activities such as tax filings and refunds, library books, driver’s license, passports and driving tickets.
VeriSign had similar optimistic predictions for mobile’s increase use in banking and payments, location-based services, social networking and nonprofit fundraising. Mobile bankingMore than 1.5 billion standard and premium application-to-person messages will be delivered monthly nationwide this year, almost double the volume from 2008. Financial institutions will account for a chunk of this SMS activity.
VeriSign estimates that 75 percent of the top 20 U.S. banks will this year have launched SMS mobile banking. More than 25 percent of the tier one financial institutions will next year offer SMS-based notifications for payments and remittances.
Location-based services
The adoption of location-based services is currently estimated at 7 percent, per industry data. Major U.S. wireless carriers in the past 12 months have launched on-deck, user-initiated pull location-based services such as navigation or search. With the cooperation of all the major players in the mobile market over issues such as spam protection, service monetization and consumer privacy, VeriSign expects to see an increase in new location applications and services within 24 months.
For example, carriers will debut new on- and off-deck services that push pertinent information to subscribers based on their location and preferences. This will increase the demand for messaging using WAP, SMS and MMS for push applications such as mobile ads, coupons and promotions based on a consumer’s location and inclination to buy at that moment.
Social networking
This will be the breakout year for carriers and social networks to work together, VeriSign claims. Integration of user-friendly applications into smartphones and a teardown of the walls between different social networking Web sites will offer ubiquitous access to such services on mobile. Mobile will also enhance the natural strengths of social networking by offering real-time relevance to messages shared between users and their social networks.
Nonprofit fundraising
In the final prediction, VeriSign and the Mobile Giving Foundation expect that more than $5 million will be raised this year via mobile charitable giving.
Microdonations – the American Red Cross asked for $5 donations during recent hurricane relief operations, with charges listed on the subscribers’ bills – will resonate more with the mobile-savvy Generation Y audience.
Nonprofits will also encourage donors to opt into mobile programs to receive alerts, updates and news of events through SMS messages. Personalized messages will also improve the relationship between nonprofit and donor, especially in these hard economic times when charities normally struggle for funds and attention.
Brands offer biggest opportunity
That said, and while not one of its five listed predictions, VeriSign still believes that brands will account for mobile’s optimal use. “I definitely believe that the biggest opportunity lies with the brands,” Mr. Campbell said. "The brands are now feeling that if they don’t do something [about mobile], they’re behind the times,” he said. “That’s where it’s actually moved. That’s where the companies are moving – they don’t want to just show that they’re technically savvy, but they’re customer-friendly. “The interesting thing about this is that mobile has become for a brand not just about how to reach their customers, but how to reach the right customers at the right time in the right place.”
By Mickey Alam Khan
LAS VEGAS – Voting by mobile devices could become a reality nationwide by 2012, according to one of the leading mobile messaging companies. Mobile voting was No. 1 in a list of five mobile messaging predictions newly released by VeriSign Inc.’s messaging and mobile media division. The success of the Obama presidential campaign last year using a combination of television, grassroots and the Internet with last-mile support from mobile is proof of the channel’s potential.
“There has been a new movement toward the acceptability of mobile,” said Michael Campbell, senior vice president of sales and marketing for VeriSign Messaging and Mobile Media. The company sees trials of mobile voting gaining ground on the local level. By 2012, the end of President Obama’s current term, VeriSign expects the mainstream use of SMS to exchange information and opinions, promote accountability and transparency. At least 10 percent of the U.S. population will use mobile to interact with government by2012, according to VeriSign.
Mobile usage will include applications to include status information pushed by government or pulled by end-users for activities such as tax filings and refunds, library books, driver’s license, passports and driving tickets.
VeriSign had similar optimistic predictions for mobile’s increase use in banking and payments, location-based services, social networking and nonprofit fundraising. Mobile bankingMore than 1.5 billion standard and premium application-to-person messages will be delivered monthly nationwide this year, almost double the volume from 2008. Financial institutions will account for a chunk of this SMS activity.
VeriSign estimates that 75 percent of the top 20 U.S. banks will this year have launched SMS mobile banking. More than 25 percent of the tier one financial institutions will next year offer SMS-based notifications for payments and remittances.
Location-based services
The adoption of location-based services is currently estimated at 7 percent, per industry data. Major U.S. wireless carriers in the past 12 months have launched on-deck, user-initiated pull location-based services such as navigation or search. With the cooperation of all the major players in the mobile market over issues such as spam protection, service monetization and consumer privacy, VeriSign expects to see an increase in new location applications and services within 24 months.
For example, carriers will debut new on- and off-deck services that push pertinent information to subscribers based on their location and preferences. This will increase the demand for messaging using WAP, SMS and MMS for push applications such as mobile ads, coupons and promotions based on a consumer’s location and inclination to buy at that moment.
Social networking
This will be the breakout year for carriers and social networks to work together, VeriSign claims. Integration of user-friendly applications into smartphones and a teardown of the walls between different social networking Web sites will offer ubiquitous access to such services on mobile. Mobile will also enhance the natural strengths of social networking by offering real-time relevance to messages shared between users and their social networks.
Nonprofit fundraising
In the final prediction, VeriSign and the Mobile Giving Foundation expect that more than $5 million will be raised this year via mobile charitable giving.
Microdonations – the American Red Cross asked for $5 donations during recent hurricane relief operations, with charges listed on the subscribers’ bills – will resonate more with the mobile-savvy Generation Y audience.
Nonprofits will also encourage donors to opt into mobile programs to receive alerts, updates and news of events through SMS messages. Personalized messages will also improve the relationship between nonprofit and donor, especially in these hard economic times when charities normally struggle for funds and attention.
Brands offer biggest opportunity
That said, and while not one of its five listed predictions, VeriSign still believes that brands will account for mobile’s optimal use. “I definitely believe that the biggest opportunity lies with the brands,” Mr. Campbell said. "The brands are now feeling that if they don’t do something [about mobile], they’re behind the times,” he said. “That’s where it’s actually moved. That’s where the companies are moving – they don’t want to just show that they’re technically savvy, but they’re customer-friendly. “The interesting thing about this is that mobile has become for a brand not just about how to reach their customers, but how to reach the right customers at the right time in the right place.”
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Wireless industry will help reverse recession: CTIA keynote
By Dan Butcher
April 2, 2009
Steve Largent is president/CEO of CTIA -The Wireless Associaton
LAS VEGAS - T-Mobile and Verizon believe that the wireless industry will continue to grow indefinitely and will even contribute to turning around the economy as a whole.
The two carrier keynote speakers at the CTIA Wireless 2009: Mobile Life conference were introduced by Steve Largent, president/CEO of CTIA-The Wireless Association, who was also bullish on the state of the industry. He also announced the launch of Mywireless.org, a national grassroots organization that educates consumers and lobbies to fight wireless taxes and fees.
“The wireless industry is vibrant and we’re seeing continued growth,” Mr. Largent said. “It is a shining light in unfortunately troubled times, and we are playing a role in our nation’s economic recovery.”
Mr. Largent discussed industry statistics and the results of a Mywireless.org survey of wireless consumers.There were more than 270 million total wireless subscribers in the U.S. at end of 2008, which represented an increase of 15 million.
T-Mobile's Robert Dotson is the new chairman of the board for CTIA U.S. consumers logged 2.2 trillion minutes of mobile-phone usage in 2008. U.S. carriers saw an incredible spike in SMS traffic, with 1 trillion text messages sent last year, almost triple the 2007 figure. 620 billion of those were sent in the second half of the year.Wireless revenue totaled $148 billion.
The Mywireless.org survey asked thousand people how they felt about their wireless services, and 94 percent said they were satisfied with it. Seventy-four percent said that their wireless service was either an excellent or a good value, while 85 percent say cell phones make their life easier.
CTIA-The Wireless Association is backing a Congressional bill to impose a five-year moratorium on new discriminatory state and local wireless taxes (see story). Mywireless.org was formed to support that initiative.
T-Mobile USAThe first keynote address was a general overview of the industry, with plenty of plugs for T-Mobile USA products and services. The carrier’s outlook is, not surprisingly, sunny.
“Today we as an industry are at a crossroads, with the rapid emergence of wireless data and every element of life looking to mobilize, from banking and shopping to gaming and entertainment,” said Robert Dotson, current chairman of CTIA and president/CEO of T-Mobile USA. “I feel fortunate to work in truly vibrant industry with so much promise before us.
“While the global macro-economy is facing serious challenges that the wireless industry has not dealt with before, and suffice to say that these are tough times, the good news that the industry’s continued growth suggests a brighter, more prosperous tomorrow, and we know it’s coming sooner rather than later,” he said.
“I am incredibly optimistic about the future of our industry, regardless of good or bad headlines, because ours is an industry that shapes tomorrow, and wireless embodies America’s can-do spirit, which will move our nation forward.” Mr. Dotson quoted a speech by President Obama calling on all Americans to meet our challenges head on, and he suggested that there is no one better to answer that call than the wireless industry.
“We can play a key role in helping our country and our world emerge from the current economic circumstances, using the entrepreneurial spirit of the wireless industry to innovate,” Mr. Dotson said. “We have to demonstrate how much we truly care for individual customers and show the benefits of a ‘mobile life,’ which is the theme of CTIA 2009.”
By year’s end, wireless data will be a $40 billion market, according to a study cited by T-Mobile
The U.S. ranks as the largest wireless data market in the world, largely due to the prevalence of text messaging and the growing popularity of smartphones. Mobile applications are a new, important area of growth, and mobile applications stores will drive content to 300 devices by 2013, according to Juniper Research.
ShopSavvy is a comparison shopping application for the T-Mobile G1 with Google that can read UPC codes. More than a million customers have downloaded it, according to T-Mobile.
“Open OS platforms like Android make it not only possible but easy to work with the biggest players in the industry,” Mr. Dotson said. “We’re both collaborating and competing at the same time, and this represents the single biggest period of innovation in our industry since the launch of the very first Motorola handset.
“We want to foster an environment for open mobile innovation to create value-added services, and entrepreneurs and garage geniuses will drive that innovation,” he said. ”There is tremendous demand for 3G smartphones like the G1, and 80 percent of G1 customers browse the Internet on a daily basis and consumers 50 times the data of a typical subscriber.”
Mr. Dotson touted the impending impact of HSPA Plus technology and the LTE next-generation mobile network. He stressed that the government needs to use a light regulatory touch for the industry’s success to continue. Mr. Dotson was supportive of a piece of President Obama’s stimulus program dedicated to expanding wireless broadband coverage to make sure everyone can experience it, even in rural areas.
“Wireless broadband is the great economic equalizer, allowing small businesses and consumers to instantly connect regardless of the device at their fingertips,” Mr. Dotson said. “We are one of the few good news stories when we keep hearing about all of these industries in turmoil.
“People are cutting back in so many areas, but one area they’re not cutting back is staying connected via their mobile phone,” he said. “The future is bright, and the opportunity is before us to hold fast to the courage of our convictions and take a step forward together as an industry of innovators.”
Verizon CommunicationsVerizon Communications partners with Vodafone to run Verizon Wireless. Its keynote focused on trends in the wireless industry. “The wireless industry is innovating around new products, services and applications to grow and increase the value proposition for consumers and meshing wireless ever more deeply into people’s lives,” said Ivan Seidenberg, chairman/CEO of Verizon Communications. “Mobile is a way of life, and the wireless device is the most ubiquitous communications device and a third screen for entertainment.
“The next wave of innovation is complete broadband, and here in the U.S. wireless companies have invested more than 20 billion in its development, and our partners billions more on operating systems, software, chips, handsets and applications to deliver to our customers,” he said. “We are a vibrant $800 billion global industry, and a new business model is evolving to make the next 25 years every bit as dynamic as the first 25.
“We are big believers in broadband, which will transform the old analog model.”
A Nielsen study found that the average American spends more than five hours a day watching TV and one hour a day surfing the Internet, but only uses their mobile phone an average of 26 minutes a day.
“If we can move even a modest amount of that usage to mobile, we’ll have lots of headroom to grow,” Mr. Seidenberg said. “Mobile phone connects people, and wireless will connect everything—people to people, people to machines and machines to other machines.”
Data already accounts for $1.4 billion in wireless revenues. Sales of smartphones are growing 30 percent each year and will account for one out of every three phone sales by 2011.
“That challenges the conventional wisdom of the growth potential of wireless industry, which caps it at 100 penetration, meaning everyone has a phone, but you can go beyond 100 as people use more than one device,” Mr Seidenberg said. “Wireless Web next-gen technology will bring about the opportunity to explode penetration to three, four or five hundred percent.
“It is not only possible, it is probable,” he said. “4G networks such as LTE, which is emerging as the global standard, will increase speed by 8 or 10 times, driving exponential growth of data traffic and take the industry to next level of growth.”
Verizon plans to roll out LTE to between 25 and 30 markets in 2010. Verizon’s vision for the future? TVs, PCs and mobile devices will be able to interact, sharing applications and moving content seamlessly between devices. Verizon shared its competitor’s optimism regarding the current economic climate. “The mobile phone is becoming less like a product and more like an extension of our everyday lives,” Mr. Seiderberg said. “We’re approaching a tipping point that will unleash the next wave of wireless growth."
“One study estimates that productivity and improvements from wireless services that exist today will be $900 billion, and we hope to prove that estimate conservative,” he said. “We all know that wireless innovation has been part of the foundation of our country’s prosperity for 25 years, and we need to take the lead as we put our economy back on the path to growth.
“We are a very fortunate industry, offering products and services that are indispensible to our customers’ lives—we offer technology that can make our society more productive, equitable and richer with possibilities.”
By Dan Butcher
April 2, 2009
Steve Largent is president/CEO of CTIA -The Wireless Associaton
LAS VEGAS - T-Mobile and Verizon believe that the wireless industry will continue to grow indefinitely and will even contribute to turning around the economy as a whole.
The two carrier keynote speakers at the CTIA Wireless 2009: Mobile Life conference were introduced by Steve Largent, president/CEO of CTIA-The Wireless Association, who was also bullish on the state of the industry. He also announced the launch of Mywireless.org, a national grassroots organization that educates consumers and lobbies to fight wireless taxes and fees.
“The wireless industry is vibrant and we’re seeing continued growth,” Mr. Largent said. “It is a shining light in unfortunately troubled times, and we are playing a role in our nation’s economic recovery.”
Mr. Largent discussed industry statistics and the results of a Mywireless.org survey of wireless consumers.There were more than 270 million total wireless subscribers in the U.S. at end of 2008, which represented an increase of 15 million.
T-Mobile's Robert Dotson is the new chairman of the board for CTIA U.S. consumers logged 2.2 trillion minutes of mobile-phone usage in 2008. U.S. carriers saw an incredible spike in SMS traffic, with 1 trillion text messages sent last year, almost triple the 2007 figure. 620 billion of those were sent in the second half of the year.Wireless revenue totaled $148 billion.
The Mywireless.org survey asked thousand people how they felt about their wireless services, and 94 percent said they were satisfied with it. Seventy-four percent said that their wireless service was either an excellent or a good value, while 85 percent say cell phones make their life easier.
CTIA-The Wireless Association is backing a Congressional bill to impose a five-year moratorium on new discriminatory state and local wireless taxes (see story). Mywireless.org was formed to support that initiative.
T-Mobile USAThe first keynote address was a general overview of the industry, with plenty of plugs for T-Mobile USA products and services. The carrier’s outlook is, not surprisingly, sunny.
“Today we as an industry are at a crossroads, with the rapid emergence of wireless data and every element of life looking to mobilize, from banking and shopping to gaming and entertainment,” said Robert Dotson, current chairman of CTIA and president/CEO of T-Mobile USA. “I feel fortunate to work in truly vibrant industry with so much promise before us.
“While the global macro-economy is facing serious challenges that the wireless industry has not dealt with before, and suffice to say that these are tough times, the good news that the industry’s continued growth suggests a brighter, more prosperous tomorrow, and we know it’s coming sooner rather than later,” he said.
“I am incredibly optimistic about the future of our industry, regardless of good or bad headlines, because ours is an industry that shapes tomorrow, and wireless embodies America’s can-do spirit, which will move our nation forward.” Mr. Dotson quoted a speech by President Obama calling on all Americans to meet our challenges head on, and he suggested that there is no one better to answer that call than the wireless industry.
“We can play a key role in helping our country and our world emerge from the current economic circumstances, using the entrepreneurial spirit of the wireless industry to innovate,” Mr. Dotson said. “We have to demonstrate how much we truly care for individual customers and show the benefits of a ‘mobile life,’ which is the theme of CTIA 2009.”
By year’s end, wireless data will be a $40 billion market, according to a study cited by T-Mobile
The U.S. ranks as the largest wireless data market in the world, largely due to the prevalence of text messaging and the growing popularity of smartphones. Mobile applications are a new, important area of growth, and mobile applications stores will drive content to 300 devices by 2013, according to Juniper Research.
ShopSavvy is a comparison shopping application for the T-Mobile G1 with Google that can read UPC codes. More than a million customers have downloaded it, according to T-Mobile.
“Open OS platforms like Android make it not only possible but easy to work with the biggest players in the industry,” Mr. Dotson said. “We’re both collaborating and competing at the same time, and this represents the single biggest period of innovation in our industry since the launch of the very first Motorola handset.
“We want to foster an environment for open mobile innovation to create value-added services, and entrepreneurs and garage geniuses will drive that innovation,” he said. ”There is tremendous demand for 3G smartphones like the G1, and 80 percent of G1 customers browse the Internet on a daily basis and consumers 50 times the data of a typical subscriber.”
Mr. Dotson touted the impending impact of HSPA Plus technology and the LTE next-generation mobile network. He stressed that the government needs to use a light regulatory touch for the industry’s success to continue. Mr. Dotson was supportive of a piece of President Obama’s stimulus program dedicated to expanding wireless broadband coverage to make sure everyone can experience it, even in rural areas.
“Wireless broadband is the great economic equalizer, allowing small businesses and consumers to instantly connect regardless of the device at their fingertips,” Mr. Dotson said. “We are one of the few good news stories when we keep hearing about all of these industries in turmoil.
“People are cutting back in so many areas, but one area they’re not cutting back is staying connected via their mobile phone,” he said. “The future is bright, and the opportunity is before us to hold fast to the courage of our convictions and take a step forward together as an industry of innovators.”
Verizon CommunicationsVerizon Communications partners with Vodafone to run Verizon Wireless. Its keynote focused on trends in the wireless industry. “The wireless industry is innovating around new products, services and applications to grow and increase the value proposition for consumers and meshing wireless ever more deeply into people’s lives,” said Ivan Seidenberg, chairman/CEO of Verizon Communications. “Mobile is a way of life, and the wireless device is the most ubiquitous communications device and a third screen for entertainment.
“The next wave of innovation is complete broadband, and here in the U.S. wireless companies have invested more than 20 billion in its development, and our partners billions more on operating systems, software, chips, handsets and applications to deliver to our customers,” he said. “We are a vibrant $800 billion global industry, and a new business model is evolving to make the next 25 years every bit as dynamic as the first 25.
“We are big believers in broadband, which will transform the old analog model.”
A Nielsen study found that the average American spends more than five hours a day watching TV and one hour a day surfing the Internet, but only uses their mobile phone an average of 26 minutes a day.
“If we can move even a modest amount of that usage to mobile, we’ll have lots of headroom to grow,” Mr. Seidenberg said. “Mobile phone connects people, and wireless will connect everything—people to people, people to machines and machines to other machines.”
Data already accounts for $1.4 billion in wireless revenues. Sales of smartphones are growing 30 percent each year and will account for one out of every three phone sales by 2011.
“That challenges the conventional wisdom of the growth potential of wireless industry, which caps it at 100 penetration, meaning everyone has a phone, but you can go beyond 100 as people use more than one device,” Mr Seidenberg said. “Wireless Web next-gen technology will bring about the opportunity to explode penetration to three, four or five hundred percent.
“It is not only possible, it is probable,” he said. “4G networks such as LTE, which is emerging as the global standard, will increase speed by 8 or 10 times, driving exponential growth of data traffic and take the industry to next level of growth.”
Verizon plans to roll out LTE to between 25 and 30 markets in 2010. Verizon’s vision for the future? TVs, PCs and mobile devices will be able to interact, sharing applications and moving content seamlessly between devices. Verizon shared its competitor’s optimism regarding the current economic climate. “The mobile phone is becoming less like a product and more like an extension of our everyday lives,” Mr. Seiderberg said. “We’re approaching a tipping point that will unleash the next wave of wireless growth."
“One study estimates that productivity and improvements from wireless services that exist today will be $900 billion, and we hope to prove that estimate conservative,” he said. “We all know that wireless innovation has been part of the foundation of our country’s prosperity for 25 years, and we need to take the lead as we put our economy back on the path to growth.
“We are a very fortunate industry, offering products and services that are indispensible to our customers’ lives—we offer technology that can make our society more productive, equitable and richer with possibilities.”
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Agent511 Finalist in Business Plan Competition
Business contest finalists selected
By Keith Lawrence, Messenger-Inquirer
Published: Saturday, March 21, 2009 12:07 AM CDT
Owensboro's eMerging Ventures Center for Innovation has selected the four finalists for its first $15,000 Challenge -- a business plan competition.
Madison Silvert, executive director of the center, said Dalisha's Desserts, a dine-in high-quality dessert company; Fluent Universe, an Internet-based translation business; Agent511, a mobile technology company; and Stay-Dri, a continence solutions firm, will move on to the final round of the competition in April.
The companies are competing for a $15,000 investment award and a six-month lease at the Centre for Business and Research, a 27,000-square-foot laboratory and office facility being developed in a former tobacco warehouse in the 1000 block of Allen Street.
"We were excited by the level and quality of applicants in our first year," Silvert said in a news release. "It was, no doubt, a valuable learning experience for all of those who participated, and we would like for this to become an annual event."
The applicants had to provide an executive summary of their business plan, which was then scored by a panel of judges.
Now, the four finalists must provide a full business plan, complete with financial and marketing analysis, by April 13.
They will then pitch their ideas to judges with public presentations April 17.
The winner will be announced April 20.
The eMerging Ventures Center for Innovation is a division of the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corp. It is designed to assist entrepreneurs and start-up companies in the Owensboro area.
The center includes a field office for Western Kentucky University's Central Region Innovation and Commercialization Center, the Owensboro office of Murray State University's Kentucky Small Business Development Center and the Owensboro chapter of the Service Corps of Retired Executives.
Silvert said earlier that the competition was designed to "entice entrepreneurs to start and expand businesses in Owensboro."
By Keith Lawrence, Messenger-Inquirer
Published: Saturday, March 21, 2009 12:07 AM CDT
Owensboro's eMerging Ventures Center for Innovation has selected the four finalists for its first $15,000 Challenge -- a business plan competition.
Madison Silvert, executive director of the center, said Dalisha's Desserts, a dine-in high-quality dessert company; Fluent Universe, an Internet-based translation business; Agent511, a mobile technology company; and Stay-Dri, a continence solutions firm, will move on to the final round of the competition in April.
The companies are competing for a $15,000 investment award and a six-month lease at the Centre for Business and Research, a 27,000-square-foot laboratory and office facility being developed in a former tobacco warehouse in the 1000 block of Allen Street.
"We were excited by the level and quality of applicants in our first year," Silvert said in a news release. "It was, no doubt, a valuable learning experience for all of those who participated, and we would like for this to become an annual event."
The applicants had to provide an executive summary of their business plan, which was then scored by a panel of judges.
Now, the four finalists must provide a full business plan, complete with financial and marketing analysis, by April 13.
They will then pitch their ideas to judges with public presentations April 17.
The winner will be announced April 20.
The eMerging Ventures Center for Innovation is a division of the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corp. It is designed to assist entrepreneurs and start-up companies in the Owensboro area.
The center includes a field office for Western Kentucky University's Central Region Innovation and Commercialization Center, the Owensboro office of Murray State University's Kentucky Small Business Development Center and the Owensboro chapter of the Service Corps of Retired Executives.
Silvert said earlier that the competition was designed to "entice entrepreneurs to start and expand businesses in Owensboro."
Monday, March 9, 2009
Owensboro's Police Department and Agent511 have begun an outreach program this month targeting youths and students in the Owensboro/ Daviess County Public School System. The program is designed to educate students about the new text message program that has been implemented by OPD. Students can now text in crime tips and non-emergency crimes to the Owensboro Police Department by texting in OPD + their message to 511511. The program has already been presented to Owensboro High School and will be presented to Daviess County High School and Apollo in the coming weeks.Residents of Daviess and the surrounding counties can also sign up for TextBlasts from the Owensboro Police Department. Citizens can sign up for traffic alerts, crime tips, messages form crime stoppers, Amber Alerts and missing persons, and press releases. To sign up visit http://www.owensboro.org/police/.
ABC affiliate, KVUE, in Austin Texas is now partnering with Agent511 to send weather alerts, breaking news alerts, stock closings and more via text message! Viewers will be able to keep up with current events, weather, and promotions without being tied down by a computer or television.KVUE is also launching an interactive newscast using Agent511. Local Austin residents will be able to text in comments on controversial news topics. Viewers comments are then scrolled through the crawl on the bottom of the screen. This allows both the station and the viewers to keep up with the general consensus of the public regarding current events.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Jiffy Lube mobile coupons bring 50 percent new households
A simple and effective example of how mobile marketing works and can increase revenue...even in a slumping economy- Ankur Gopal
How can businesses in this economic slump extend their traditional media buy by adding a mobile component and benefit? Ask a local Jiffy Lube auto oil change location in Ames, IA.
KCCQ, one of a group of Clear Channel radio stations, added mobile to the Ames Jiffy Lube’s schedule. The goal was to drive sales, allow for increased measurability and begin a two-way dialogue with listeners.
“We’re reaching a new market of consumers that our traditional advertising hasn’t been effectively targeting,” said Andrew Storjohann, general manager of Jiffy Lube of Ames.
“Roughly 50 percent of the respondents have been from new households and our other advertising methods only bring in 20 percent,” he said. “This is based on the trackable text coupons and doesn’t even take into account what the radio commercials create on their own.”
Ames was established in 1864 to serve the Cedar Rapids and Missouri Railroad. The Iowa town has a population of 50,000 and is home to Iowa State University.
Jiffy Lube began the buy in September, toward the end of the warm season and in the midst of the recession.
Not surprisingly, Jiffy Lube needed to drive business, particularly from new customers who had not been exposed to the oil change location.
KCCQ 15-second radio spots gave listeners the change-to-win free oil changes for a year. Each listener who entered got a coupon via text message that included discounts on oil changes, wiper blades, tire rotations and filters.
Jiffy Lube employee fixing car
There were five text offers that rotated and covered the various Jiffy Lube services. More than 70 spots ran over the first two weeks.
The KCCQ radio station also matched the schedule with 15-second on-air promotions.
Convinced of the campaign’s efficacy, the Ames Jiffy Lube extended it to run for four months.
“I appreciate the trackability on my radio campaigns,” said Kris Barrientos, account executive at KCCQ.
“It allows my client, Jiffy Lube, who has a system of coding all their coupons, to see their mobile marketing results, compute ROI and compare them with their other advertising,” she said. “Now we have quantifiable data to discuss, something not typical for radio.”
Jiffy Lube is now waiting for the spring to run additional media that will again include mobile.
“Especially in the recession, small businesses can extend a traditional media buy by adding a mobile component that pushes product, services and offers and gives the advertiser an ability to grow a valuable database of opted-in consumers who have raised their hands and said they want to have an ongoing dialogue with a brand.”
“In this recession, mobile coupons via text are beneficial, easy and affordable,” he said. “You can provide the right offer at the right time, and measure and refine all along the way.”
As this campaign proves, mobile is not only driving new business for Jiffy Lube, but also bringing more media dollars in for Clear Channel by making traditional radio spots interactive.
“Beyond the initial interaction, smart brands and businesses are working with us to create those opt-in databases that put the business in front of the consumer in a permission-based situation.”
“Mobile coupons were interesting to consumers even before the recession,” he said. “In our consumer survey in 2008, 58 percent said they were interested in receiving mobile coupons. Given the economic downturn, do you know anyone who isn’t interested in receiving discounts?”
How can businesses in this economic slump extend their traditional media buy by adding a mobile component and benefit? Ask a local Jiffy Lube auto oil change location in Ames, IA.
KCCQ, one of a group of Clear Channel radio stations, added mobile to the Ames Jiffy Lube’s schedule. The goal was to drive sales, allow for increased measurability and begin a two-way dialogue with listeners.
“We’re reaching a new market of consumers that our traditional advertising hasn’t been effectively targeting,” said Andrew Storjohann, general manager of Jiffy Lube of Ames.
“Roughly 50 percent of the respondents have been from new households and our other advertising methods only bring in 20 percent,” he said. “This is based on the trackable text coupons and doesn’t even take into account what the radio commercials create on their own.”
Ames was established in 1864 to serve the Cedar Rapids and Missouri Railroad. The Iowa town has a population of 50,000 and is home to Iowa State University.
Jiffy Lube began the buy in September, toward the end of the warm season and in the midst of the recession.
Not surprisingly, Jiffy Lube needed to drive business, particularly from new customers who had not been exposed to the oil change location.
KCCQ 15-second radio spots gave listeners the change-to-win free oil changes for a year. Each listener who entered got a coupon via text message that included discounts on oil changes, wiper blades, tire rotations and filters.
Jiffy Lube employee fixing car
There were five text offers that rotated and covered the various Jiffy Lube services. More than 70 spots ran over the first two weeks.
The KCCQ radio station also matched the schedule with 15-second on-air promotions.
Convinced of the campaign’s efficacy, the Ames Jiffy Lube extended it to run for four months.
“I appreciate the trackability on my radio campaigns,” said Kris Barrientos, account executive at KCCQ.
“It allows my client, Jiffy Lube, who has a system of coding all their coupons, to see their mobile marketing results, compute ROI and compare them with their other advertising,” she said. “Now we have quantifiable data to discuss, something not typical for radio.”
Jiffy Lube is now waiting for the spring to run additional media that will again include mobile.
“Especially in the recession, small businesses can extend a traditional media buy by adding a mobile component that pushes product, services and offers and gives the advertiser an ability to grow a valuable database of opted-in consumers who have raised their hands and said they want to have an ongoing dialogue with a brand.”
“In this recession, mobile coupons via text are beneficial, easy and affordable,” he said. “You can provide the right offer at the right time, and measure and refine all along the way.”
As this campaign proves, mobile is not only driving new business for Jiffy Lube, but also bringing more media dollars in for Clear Channel by making traditional radio spots interactive.
“Beyond the initial interaction, smart brands and businesses are working with us to create those opt-in databases that put the business in front of the consumer in a permission-based situation.”
“Mobile coupons were interesting to consumers even before the recession,” he said. “In our consumer survey in 2008, 58 percent said they were interested in receiving mobile coupons. Given the economic downturn, do you know anyone who isn’t interested in receiving discounts?”
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