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AdMonitor: Mobile Ad + Google Maps Mashup = A Bird's Eye View On Who's Viewing Your Mobile Ads – And Where – In Real Time

Mobile marketers just got an eye in the sky.

Longtime readers know I'm not that into text or display ads delivered on mobile phones (mobile marketing's so much more powerful that that).

But if you are placing ads on mobile sites or through carrier decks and what not, TechCrunch is reporting that Ad Mob has launched a promising new tool called AdMonitor, a Google Maps Mashup that shows you who is viewing your mobile ads worldwide, including the network they are on and the phone they're using - in real time.

San Mateo, Calif.-based Ad Mob is a mobile network advertising concern with clients such as ESPN and CBS. While it seems to have been overlooked in the recent acquisition spree from Microsoft, Google and Yahoo, it's about to gain renewed attention – from marketers and suitors alike.

Read more here.

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Carl's Jr. Mobilizes 'I Like Flat Buns' Campaign

Carl's Jr. has always had a thing for flat buns (witness its Paris Hilton campaign a few years back). But now, its new integrated campaign to promote the Patty Melt Burger is taking this fixation in a whole new direction.

In a first, the restaurant chain is allowing its campaign to jump directly into the hands of its gadget-savvy customer base through a new mobile marketing initiative using a technology called "Single-Hand Ringtones."

Teaming up with Los Angeles-based Briabe Media, Carl's Junior rolled out the new patty melt last Wednesday, evoking the classic dinner mainstay.

The campaign makes use of the rap song "I Like Flat Buns," and has made the song and ringtone available as free downloads to mobile phones. (Apparently, the song was actually originally developed for Hardees - and was no doubt conceived as a spoof of Sir Mixalot's "Baby Got Back.")

Consumers can enter a short code via most major U.S. carriers - and then inform those within earshot  of their preference for patty melts - and, shall we say, less shapely... baked goods.

For more, click here.

I didn't see the video on YouTube yet, but you can watch the spots at Carl's Jr's website.

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I-Play Finds Cure For Mobile Gaming Blues: 'ER Rush'

I-Play is hoping gamers will check into its new title "ER Rush."

The San Mateo, Calif.-based mobile entertainment company today announced the launch of the game, which is billed as a way for gamers to "live out their own hospital drams in this light-hearted, highly original, fun-packed game."

According to a release, the game's places you in the role as the new Junior emergency room doctor, where you have to find out if you've got what it takes to save lives. Apparently, the aim is to successfully diagnose, treat, and discharge the appropriate number of patients per shift, but make sure you hurry – the clock is ticking!

Gee...as fun as that may sound, I find hospital dramas tedious, and the idea of playing a game about life-threatening illnesses kind of a downer. But the game is earning critical praise. WGWorld says the game is “..easy to pick up and play but very difficult to put down.  One of the best points of the game is the employment of real strategy due to the inclusion of transmittable ailments…  …lots of fun and one you should certainly consider for your mobile enjoyment.”

You know what they say: To each, his own.

The game premieres on carrier decks in the next month.

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Video Ad Spoof: The ZunePhone

So true... Quick Links:

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Mobile Marketing Of Another Kind: AT&T's $2 Billion Account Up For Grabs

That's the word from Ad Age, which states that the mobile carrier has put its estimated $2 billion media-buying and -planning account into review.

Incumbent shops OMD, Mediaedge:cia and GSD&M have been invited to pitch, and others will be sent RFP's.

"This move will consolidate all of AT&T's media planning and buying at one agency and is part of the company's ongoing efforts to maximize efficiencies created, in part, by AT&T's acquisition of BellSouth at the end of last year," AT&T said in a statement cited by the pub.

The review is slated to be completed at year's end, but we'll believe that when we see it. This is a massive piece of business - and the fight to the finish will no doubt be epic.

Office Depot Launches Mobile Marketing Program

Office Depot's taking care of business in a whole new way.

At least that's the word from Office Depot, which is working with mobile media company go2 to launch its first mobile marketing program. Up first: An effort to enable Office Depot customers to locate the nearest retail location and receive information regarding new products and services on their mobile phones.

When accessing a special go2 Office Depot site from a mobile phone, customers can enjoy features such as store specials, sweepstakes, coupons and much more. And there's go2's advanced location-based services (LBS), which provide precise and accurate information of Office Depot locations while on-the-go.

"Office Depot is very excited to roll out this new service offering that will provide customers with another way to connect to Office Depot while away from the home or office," says Kristin Micalizio, vice president of direct sales for Office Depot, in a statement. "Office Depot has always been on the forefront of new technologies, and this is another example of the company's dedication to finding new and innovative ways to service our customers' needs."

Actually, there are probably a lot of businesses that'd want to be able to offer services like this - so maybe Office Depot should cut a referral deal with go2 to send interested parties their way.

Find out more, here.

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Fashion Retailer Gets 63% Double Opt-In Response Rate In New Mobile Marketing Campaign

Mobile's definitely in fashion for UK retailer Up Against The Wall.

Today, the company announced that their first mobile marketing campaign has achieved an impressive 63% double opt-in rate.

Working with mobile marketing firm Ping Mobile, sought to connect with the retailer's customer base - high-end fashion conscious consumers who want to be in the know - and mobile seems to have been a perfect match of target and channel.

"It's a very specific audience that expects high value for their money, and so we were looking to find a new way to communicate directly with this specific hip hop-oriented audience," said Tim Nicholson, Director of Marketing for Up Against The Wall, in a statement. "The 63% response rate has truly exceeded our initial expectations"

Indeed, it's pretty impressive - and a perfect example of how to do mobile right. Users text in the word "UP" to the short code 74642 and receive an initial discount on merchandize. The effort paid off in additional foot-traffic and revenues for its stores.

But then, the company sent a follow-up message to each initial respondent, asking them to reply if they wished to receive additional communications and offers from Up Against The Wall in the future. The users who replied with their permission were added to the exclusive mobile marketing list for Up Against the Wall.

As Nicole Mayraz, Ping Mobile's EVP, explains it: "Our goal has always been to assist our clients in achieving the short-term targets of the initial mobile campaign, while at the same time maintaining a strong focus on the long term results by delivering value-added content to the users, tracking the redemption results and creating a true, long term relationship between client and consumer."

To put a fine point on it, only 1% of those who have opted in to receive ongoing messages have unsubscribed.

In BRANDING UNBOUND the book, I point to these kinds of campaigns as a compelling business case for mobile - not as an advertising platform with ads delivered long side mobile content (though there can be situations where that makes sense) - but as a response mechanism that enable consumers, at their own initiation to interact with and transact with brands they know and trust through the most measurable, personal, and direct link between brands and consumers ever devised.

To learn more about UATW's mobile initiative, click here.

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Atlantic Records Gets Hooked On Mobile Trading Cards

The whole mobile trading cards thing is catching on fast - and Atlantic Records wants to play, too.

About a year ago, I posted about how CBS had teamed up with Hook Mobile to create mobile trading cards featuring the cast of "Survivor 13: Cook Islands." No mere collectibles here: Collectors got the chance to win $20,000 in cash and prizes (though I never did hear about a winner).

Now, Atlantic Record's out with its own, decidedly cooler, set of cards - featuring artists like hip hop hero T.I. and Yung Joc - and prizes, too.

Now, fans can purchase, collect, trade and redeem unique mobile trading cards on their favorite artists. The cards launched last month with T.I. in a promotion for his album "T.I.vs T.I.P," and continues this month with the Joc collection.

In T.I.'s case, fans can subscribe to be collectors by texting "TI" to the short code 87233 (TRADE), or register online at cards.trapmuzik.com. Fans can even win a multimedia entertainment system or a phone call from T.I. by collecting certain sets of the 45 total cards. Additional "Instant Win" cards are also distributed for artist posters and T-shirts. Online collection pages of each artist will be featured, where cans can collect and manage their collections.

"Atlantic Records has consistently been at the forefront of using the mobile platform to bring our artists' content to fans" Cyndi Lynott, Director of Mobile Marketing at Atlantic Records, says in a statement."We now have a dynamic and engaging new channel to connect our fans and artists in the mobile space."

Cool enough to make you wonder if the name "Atlantic Records" may be more vinyl than viral (or virtual) - and in need of a digital age makeover.

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Study: Video Kills The MP3 Star

...Or something like that.

A new study from In-Stat reports that video enabled portable media players will outsell audio-only models by 2009.

According to the research firm, increased broadband penetration, declining price points, and a growing catalog of audio and video content mean sales for MP3 players and portable media players (PMPs) will remain strong over the next five years.

Here's where it gets interesting: The primary reason people buy these devices is for audio playback - only 11% say it's for video. And shipments of audio-only players combined will top 275 million units by 2011, up from 182 million in 2006.

But as the cost of incorporating video gets cheaper, the added value means video-enabled PMPs will out pace the sales of audio-only devices by the end of next year.

The popularity of Apple's iPhone will no doubt play a role. Not that it will dominate the market, but because more people will see the benefits of having a video-and-audio PMP. And, of course, adding in some mobile phone capabilities will be next on the list for the next wave of these very personal devices.

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New Version of Yahoo Mail Integrates Email, SMS

Just seems like a multi-modal, mobile-to-Web (and back) kind of day. News Market is reporting that Yahoo has unveiled a new version of its popular mail service, Yahoo! Mail, that enables users in the U.S., Canada, India and the Philippines can send messages to a mobile phone number directly from their email account, and receive text messages from mobile phone users. Heck, once IM is added to the mix, maybe Yahoo can get cracking on telepathy.

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