Under The Radar: Monetize With Mobile
Posted by eydie on Nov 12, 2008 in Featured, Mobile Marketing, Mobile Technology, Under The Radar: Mobility
(For MMW’s complete coverage of Under The Radar: Mobility, click here.)
In this economy, mobile marketing must get consumers to spend more. Right now, SMS coupons are considered bleeding-edge. But at the Monetize session at Under The Radar, companies are thinking well beyond current marketing abilities. Toro and Billing Revolution in particular have been the most interesting companies so far today…
Toro offers the most futuristic, fascinating solution yet–beyond even what’s happening in advanced mobile consumer markets like Japan and northern Europe. It could usher in a whole new version of multi-channel marketing. Let’s say there’s an ad poster on a bus stop bench or side of a building. You take your phone out–excuse me, phone with an NFC chip inside–and literally “tap” the ad with it. Presto–you’ve just opted in to receive a marketing message.
Here’s where it gets targeted: (1) Toro technology can tell marketers where you were and what time it was when you tapped the ad; (2) can check marketers’ databases to see if your phone has “tapped” on a brand’s ad before, and if you are a frequent or just sporadic customer. Thus, the advertiser can decide what kind of marketing offer to send you based on these bits of data (like offering a free cup to a frequent customer, and a 50%-off coupon to a new customer). Fascinating, though Toro CEO Laurent Renard admits that the company will (A) have to convince handset makers the world over to put an NFC chip in all their devices; and (B) see “A”.
Billing Revolution allows people to make payments with their mobile phones. Their software extends the credit card to the mobile platform–and can be used to sell anything to anybody. Ever jones for a pizza but didn’t have the cash? With Billing Revolution, you can pay for that pizza with your mobile phone (and, I’m thinking, if the pizzeria is smart, maybe get a coupon for a future pie purchase). CEO Andy Kleitsch says that unlike Paypal, the sign-up process for consumers is easy and doesn’t require them to go to a website to do so. So buyers are going to be more willing to use the service, if the retailer offers it.
Mojiva hopes to beat Google and other ad platforms by offering a self-serve ad purchasing service. What differentiates the technology, says CEO Dan Groikhman, is that ads will be served on mobile Web sites according to keyword-based and location-based criteria–the importance of which seasoned mobile marketers already know all about. Not only does Mojiva strive to place ads in the most relevant places possible; it also claims to make it easy for marketers to purchase ads in the first place.
Giorgos Saslis | Nov 13, 2008 | Reply
Both Billing Revolution and the Toro technology do sound fascinating. Still a couple of years ahead of us I guess (at least in Greece), but fascinating nonetheless.
Will be keeping an eye out for those two.
Dave | Nov 15, 2008 | Reply
The Toro platform may be mind-blowing with its marketing twist, but the technology leap is uncalled for. You can get the exact same marketing effect by using the phone’s camera (everyone has one) and a 2D barcode.
Eydie | Nov 17, 2008 | Reply
Dave, I agree with you–this kind of cohesive multi-channel marketing campaign is already available with camera phones and barcodes. Maybe those very few marketers/retailers who are using this method should step up and evangelize to the rest of the marketing industry!
Meanwhile some camera phones aren’t great at capturing details in a photo, which could be problematic when you’re taking a pic of a bar code to be scanned. And maybe a totally new space-age idea is what is needed to really entice marketers into using these types of campaigns. Like how full or QWERTY keyboards on phones helped people in the U.S. really get into texting (though personally I typed faster with a regular number pad).
Samuel - Cyprus Properties For Sale | Jan 20, 2009 | Reply
i like this solution of Billing Revolution ! that is really what busy peole need nowadays! soon the whole world will house in our mobiles. that’s cool!
Sebastian - Photostock Expert | Jan 20, 2009 | Reply
yeah Samuel! I fully agree with you! the only thing that at least to put money on mobile account we need to use some other service like banks or atms))) but as for the rest, the idea is really pretty nice!
Jay | Jan 22, 2009 | Reply
wow! to extend the credit card to the mobile platform to make payments with mobile phones is the best idea I’ve learned about today! it is so comfortable to pay off not thinking about going somewhere or using internet… that’s just great!
Erin | Jan 26, 2009 | Reply
it seems that soon our mobile phones will not only allow us to buy or to learn, soon they will carry out such things like blood test analysis! and to be true it’s not so bad!
Dick | Mar 14, 2009 | Reply
Indeed it looks bright ahead to tap into mobile advertising. The world is getting more connected virtually, and people are accessing online everywhere.
But could mobile advertising really sustain ? How positive is the ROI for advertisers going into mobile ads ?
Further, if Mojiva hopes to beat Google and other ad platforms, then it has to takes on more commitment in term of establishing better relationship among its partners that bring the traffic and generate the revenue.
It has been alerted that the company doesn’t ’seems quite alright’ as lately it’s publishers are not getting payment.
Now, with current economy crisis, could mobile ads company really take it ?
Marie | Mar 16, 2009 | Reply
You are right ! It is coming to 3rd week of the month of March, and still No Payment from Mojiva so far, for January 2009 revenue.
Several publishers are starting to alert each others in forums. Apparently, Mojiva has also not been answering to support tickets raise by publishers pertaining to payment status.
eydie | Mar 16, 2009 | Reply
Dick, Marie, thanks for the heads-up on Mojiva’s alleged nonpayment. I will look into it.
eydie | Mar 16, 2009 | Reply
I’ve talked with Mojiva. Read the following post for more:
http://www.mobilemarketingwatch.com/mojiva-responds-to-ad-publisher-grumblings/