Pringo partners with NINJA Mobile

Pringo, the social networking solutions provider, has joined hands with NINJA Mobile, a mobile advertising specialist, to make its applications more appealing to mobile users by introducing new features.

From now on, mobile users will be able to access websites built on Pringo’s platform better than ever. They will be able to view content, post new content, and share their favorite content on the go with their friends through their mobile phones. Also, advertisers will now be able to send targeted, relevant ads, including video content, to users through the social networking sites built on Pringo’s platform.

This, in my opinion, benefits all three parties involved in the equation. First, the website owner will be able to monetize his site better, advertisers will be able to reach their target customer base better, and the end user will find it easier to access social networking sites from his mobile phone.

Mobile social networking is making its presence felt fast and companies like Pringo have realized its importance and started working on it. If you remember, Pringo signed a similar deal with a mobile marketing firm called Mozes some time back.

Categories: Cell Phone Advertising, All things mobile phones, Mobile Social Networking.

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Sony BMG and 3 sign deal to provide free music videos on mobile phones

Mobile network 3’s customers will be able to watch free music videos right on their mobile phone from today. 3 has signed a deal with Sony BMG which will allow 3’s customers to enjoy free ad-funded music videos on their mobile phones. There will be a 20-second advert before and after the video, to keep it free of cost. These ads will be highly targeted and relevant, based on your age, sex, and other factors.

People behind 3 believe that this deal will be an instant hit with their customers. And they have a reason to think so. The network has a customer base of 4 million in the UK alone and around 1.5 million of them regularly use its video services. So, by bringing free, ad-funded videos to its customers’ mobile phones, 3 plans to attract more and more customers toward its video services.

3’s music portal has some big names like Alicia Keys, Mark Ronson, and Tings Tings. Also, some of the biggest players in the market like BMW, Pepsi, Microsoft, and Intel have signed advertising contract with 3. So, with a wide range of music videos and an equally wide range of advertising sponsors, 3 can only look forward to a positive response from its customers, which I think will happen soon.

Categories: Cell Phone Advertising, All things mobile phones.

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No Country for Old Men

A report released by Deloitte Touché, a leading consulting company, had some interesting points about mobile advertising and mobile marketing.

As a rule of thumb, mobile advertisers always connect to the younger ones – teenagers and people in their early 20s. It is widely believed that the young ones make use of mobile phones to the maximum possible extent and hence mobile marketing is generally meant for the young. But aren’t we missing something so obvious here?

Young ones, though largely mobile-savvy, don’t have a regular, disposable income. In other words, they cannot afford to spend as they wish. Most of them are dependent on part-time jobs or their parents for money – which means, no matter how good your mobile advertising campaign is, they can afford only so much.

But the case of boomers is not like this. They have a high disposable income and they are in fact the target customer base for many industries around the world. Also, people in the 30-50 age group are more loyal to carriers and phone makers. In other words, they stick to a particular carrier and a particular mobile maker as they can identify themselves with them. But youngsters, especially teenagers, don’t do that. They change their handsets often and jump from one carrier to another in search of new, cool features. What this means to carriers and advertisers is – you can’t expect something called customer retention.

Duncan Stewart, one of the authors of this report, said that targeting only the youth market may not prove to be a successful strategy in the long run.

I think the important reason behind targeting the youth market is the fact that they are the early adopters of new technologies. So, it becomes easier to appeal to them. But then, the report says it clearly – there is significant potential in the boomer market. Mobile marketers, are you listening?

PS: To those who know me, the title of this post shouldn’t come as a surprise at all.

Categories: Cell Phone Advertising, All things mobile phones.

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