Mobile Marketing Blog by InMovil Media

Advertisers recognized the current iPhone as a new marketing platform and some even developed campaigns targeted to iPhone users. Although it was a it is a good looking device, the phone’s slow Internet speed was a real shortcoming. However…

The new iPhone, which Apple CEO Steve Jobs is expected to unveil next week, will be a high-speed 3G model. With the new iPhone connecting to the web is faster and less frustrating, this will improve the user experience for example for downloading music and videos.

Another great prospect are rumors that the iPhone will come equipped with GPS, this makes it possible to pinpoint where the device is being used. The ability to target users in this manner is particularly appealing to marketers.

“Both from the marketing side, as the consumer side, there is the promise of location- based targeting,” said Tim Ruisbroek, director of InMovil Media, a mobile marketing firm. “Marketers get re ally excited about this.”

For years, the advertising business has been waiting for mobile marketing to catch on. Mobile Advertisers have to work with an array of service providers and device makers with different capabilities. Therefore making mobile campaigns for large audiences is diffucult job.

While the 3G iPhone won’t solve all these problems, however marketing experts believe it will help advertisers to deal with mobile phone shortcomings.

Moreover, Apple is putting pressure on other hand set companies to come up with “iPhone killers” that make the whole mobile phone experience faster, easier and more userfriendly.

Rivals are also making mobile-ad moves. For instance, Finnish phone giant Nokia purchased mobile-ad company Enpocket last year, while Google is expected to rock with their open-source software “Android”, for mobile phones in the fall.

All in all the conclusion is the mobile industry is moving fast powered by the urge for marketers to use the mobile channel ready to deliver highly targeted ads and create the best advertising medium so far.

Contact us to see how we can help your business to monetize this mobile advertising medium.

After having received more and more request from businesses that are interested in mobile 2D barcodes, I have devoted some time to give a practical explanation what 2D barcodes entail for making media interactive by using a mobile device.

To basic thing is to create the data matrix and QR codes (2D mobile barcode) to link print media to the mobile web. What does this mean?

It is now possible to make traditional print media interactive by linking it directly to the mobile web. Our solution generates a unique data matrix code and QR code for each mobile web page created related to the printed information or advertisement. This code can be printed on advertisements, magazine articles, or even posters to provide an immediate call to action. When the 2D mobile barcode is scanned with the camera of a mobile phone it links straight through to the related mobile webpage - where you can; get further information and register interest, to a competition entry, buy concert tickets or other products directly with the mobile phone.

Datamatrix and QR codes are 2D barcodes consisting of a totally unique pattern of black and white squares that act as a quick link through to a specific mobile web page. When using InMovil Media to create and publish QR codes, these codes are automatically generated and can then be printed wherever required. Once the codes are scanned by the mobile device, consumers can quickly and easily access promoted content any time and any where they are. And unlike SMS or MMS triggers it is a free service.

Adding Data matrix or QR codes to print media meets a market demand for offering an easy and effective way to facilitate instant customer interaction with consumers on the move for a truly interactive marketing campaign. For example a consumer, waiting for the bus, a train journey or simply reading a paper or magazine becomes more interesting with the ability to purchase products, respond to articles or enter competitions without having to be back in front of a PC and search again for the product or information. And for your business it does not only provides an immediate call to action but a new and effective way to directly measure the success of print campaigns. Besides print media the codes can also be put on your normal website, if you want that people bookmark you mobile version of the website via this barcode.

Consumers love the opportunity for instant response and discovery of what this new technology can provide. This adds a completely new dimension to print media, which from our experience is good news for marketing campaigns.

Contact us to see how we can help your business use 2D mobile barcodes in an interactive way.

The role of widgets in the mobile Web and other topics, including Google’s Android platform. Let’s see what Nokia is doing with Mobile 2.0.
We heard a lot about widgets at Mobile Internet World this week. What is a widget? What is the unique value of a mobile widget vs. a widget on a desktop?

Widgets allow people to personalize Internet content into lightweight Web standards based technologies that are running on the mobile device.

While widgets have been available on PCs for some time, widgets on mobile devices have particular advantages in that they facilitate internet interaction via mobile devices in a much more focused and manageable way.

When people are on the move, many want instant access to specific information, wherever they are. Widgets on mobile devices allow users to have personalized services and content on their device that is always with them, always connected, and unique to them. Additionally, mobility brings context-aware, location-aware aspects that are unique to mobile devices.

Examples can include local weather information, traffic information before going out on the road, following stock performance, or your internet auctions, etc.

Why is everyone suddenly talking about widgets? Is this the influence of the iPhone?

Actually, in April this year we announced that S60 will be the first mobile software platform with integrated widget support. We believe that mobility will change the Internet as people are able to access, create and share information specific to place, time and experience. Widgets are an important milestone in this development. This is also likely to direct much of the innovation seen on the Internet today to the mobile space for the benefit of the tens of millions of S60 mobile device users world-wide.

Will S60 ever work with Google Android?

Nokia remains fully committed to S60 on Symbian OS, the leading open internet innovation platform for mobile devices. S60 on Symbian OS already has a substantial base of users, applications and developers, offering unparalleled business opportunities. In April 2007 we announced that over 100 million S60 devices have been shipped by all S60 licensees (Samsung, Nokia, LG, Lenovo) we have over 3.5 million registered developers through Forum Nokia with over 5,300 different applications available.

With the Navteq acquisition will Nokia make GPS standard on the S60 platform?

While the Navteq acquisition is yet to be completed, S60 already provides a rich platform for combining location and navigation with an ability to communicate. There are already several S60 devices with a built-in GPS, such as Nokia N95, Nokia N95 8GB, Nokia 6110 Navigator, Nokia E90 Communicator and Samsung SGH-i550.

How does Nokia find and seed developers for widgets? Do you reach out to existing desktop widget developers or do you reach out to mobile-specific developers?

A short answer to this question is both. S60 will be complemented with Web Run-Time, a Web application development environment, enabling the development of widgets and integrated Web applications for mobile devices with familiar standards-based Web technologies, such as Ajax, JavaScript, CSS, and HTML.

Web Run-Time offers numerous possibilities for all Web application developers. As the Web Run-Time is built with standards-based Web technologies, developers can create new innovative widgets and also migrate existing widgets from other standards-based platforms to S60 with minimal effort.