BRANDING UNBOUND

PayPal: Mobile Payments Surged 650% on Black Friday

With Cyber Monday well underway, it's worthwhile to note that more consumers used their mobile phones to place purchases and compare prices on Black Friday than ever before.

MoCo is reporting that PayPal says mobile payments surged nearly 650% compared to last year. And Dow Jones says mobile searches jumped to about 200,000 this year from 5,000 on Black Friday on 2008. 

Well duh - adoption from zip to something can seem like a spectacular gain. 208,000 mobile searches means less than .01% of Americans conducted searches - in fact, a small percentage of people who do such things probably accounted for the bulk of those searches.

Next year's numbers will be higher than this year's, as more people get used to mobile payment and search. But it is all notable for what it means to way we shop, and what retailers will need to do to keep us buying.

In-store mobile payment is not a like-to-have, it's a must-have. As I recently told the Global Retail Executive Council, it had better be cash, check, charge or mobile very soon if you want to keep consumers from going elsewhere.

What's more, that mobile search - the ability to compare prices at Amazon and then make a purchase means retailers had better launch their own product search and review apps and websites or risk consumers simply usurping you all together. Stores have the advantage of physical products sitting in front of consumers that they can feel, touch, and try. Branded mobile experiences that extend that to availability, consumer reviews and other what I call "bricks-and-mobile" offerings will offer not only spell competitive advantage, but sheer survival in the next few years.

I actually don't put much stock in this year's numbers. It's what they portend that matter.

The real world retailers who get that can prepare now to thrive in a bricks-and-mobile world. 

Those who don't risk bringing a whole new, uninvited meeting to the term "Black Friday."

Read more, here. And check out my new book, THE ON-DEMAND BRAND (Spring 2010, Amacom/McGraw-Hill), which will explore this and other issues, here.

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19% of Shoppers Say They'll Use Mobile For Holiday Shopping

A new study indicates Christmas may be coming early to mobile marketers.

A new survey of 10,878 consumers by Deloitte, conducted from September 24 through October 2, found that 19% say they'll use mobile phones for gift shopping. A full 39% of consumers ages 18 to 29 plan to do so.

How these consumers plan to use their mobile phones:

• 55% say searching store locations 

• 45% researching prices

• 40% locating product information

• 33% ferreting out discounts and coupons

• 31% reading product reviews

• 25% making an actual purchase via mobile phone

Take in the study yourself, here.

Read more here and here. 

 

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First Read: Books Overcome Games in iPhone Apps

Will the iPhone save the publishing industry?

Word's out that for the first time, game apps have been overtaken by book apps - accounting for one out of every five new apps, according to studies cited by The Telegraph.

To be clear, that's apps launched, not downloaded. There's a difference - one that that has yet to be documented.

If true, what might an Apple tablet do to the equation (and to Kindle)?

Read more, here.

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U.S. Consumers Give Green Light To Opt-In Marketing Messages on Mobile Phones

At least that's the word from a new report from Harris Interactive and 1020 Placecast.

In a survey of 2,029 consumers, Harris found:

• 42% of 18- to 34-year-olds, and 33% of 35- to 44-year-olds, say they are at least interested in receiving alerts about sales on their mobile phones from their favorite establishments

• Men are more interested than women - 51% of men, and 34% of women ages 18 to 34 report interest in such alerts

• Only 1% currently receive such alerts

• Of all categories, people are most interested in alerts from restaurant specials around them

• Movie/event tickets is second, at 43%

• Weather information is third, at 39%

• 31% are interested in alerts about pizza

• 30% are interested in alerts about clothes

• 27% are interested in alerts about fast food

• 25% are interested in alerts about electronics

• 24% are interested such alerts about music

• And 21% say they're interested in alerts about happy hour specials or bar and nightclub offers

"Opt-in mobile marketing has an enormous potential if done responsibly and is specifically focused on the stores/restaurants that matter to each consumer," Alistair Goodman CEO of 1020 Placecast, tells Cellular News. "There is an opportunity to design an opt-in service for consumers that alerts them about the brands they are interested in when they are near that brand's physical location."

I too think there are opportunities, but I'd personally prefer less an opt-in model than a user-initiated model. Even if we opt in to receive such marketing messages, the moment we're bombarded with 30 different establishments as we walk down the street, it's going to get very old, very fast.

Better to let consumers say, Oh, I'm in the mood for pizza, and initiate a request for nearby offers.

There's a big difference, which I'm betting hasn't been properly polled yet.

Read more, here.

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iPhone Primary Driver of Mobile Web Usage

It seems Apple's done more than just sell a truckload of iPhones. It's finally ignited the mobile Web.

According to stats from M:Metrics, 85% of iPhone users have access the Web via mobile phones. That's compared with just 58.2% of smart phone users, and just 13.1% of the total mobile market.

“It hands-down has become the device that is driving the most people to the mobile Web,” Mark Donovan, senior analyst for M:Metrics research firm, tells MSNBC.

“It’s creating buzz among consumers that it can be pleasant and useful accessing the Web from your mobile phone,” adds Greg Sheppard, chief development officer of iSuppli Corp. market research firm.

If other manufacturers can catch up with Apple's ease of use - a tall order - this all might actually catch on.

Either that or we'll all buy iPhones, which might be better still.

Read more about it, here.

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Nokia: 25% of Entertainment On Mobile Phones Will Come From Online Communities

The big question, as Nokia puts it, is how will media companies participate?

According to a new study from Research & Markets finds that the third screen may prove extremely potent as an entertainment vehicle not because it offers a particularly compelling experience (it doesn't), but because of its ubiquity.

As the report puts it: "The thought of several billion consumers carrying around a handheld device that is capable of playing video and audio entertainment is making content creators salivate."

Some key points:

* More multimedia mobile phones (300 million) will be sold in 2008 than TV sets - these are phones that can play audio and video as well as browse the internet

* Half the world's population - 3.3 billion - now has a mobile phone subscription

* Nokia says 25% of entertainment on mobile devices will come from online communities by 2012. How will media companies participate?

* The rapid spread of broadband to homes caught many within the media and entertainment industry by surprise. Can they move to provide consumers with their seemingly unquenchable demand for entertainment?

Many in the industry believe, and this report seems to bear out, that media companies need to focus on made-for-mobile content such as mobisodes and ringtones.

I'm not so sure I agree. I don't download portions of episodes to my iPod, for instance. I take content - the full-bodied variety - with me so I can enjoy it when I'm on the go.

I also believe that mobile capabilities will soon take on new forms that will change the mobile media equation.

Time will tell who's right.

Read more about it, here.

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Jupiter: More Advertisers Using Mobile Coupons As Consumer Interest Grows

Nearly 30% of consumers now say they're interested in receiving mobile coupons on their cell phones, and advertisers are about to deliver 'em like never before, according to a new report from JuputerResearch.

According to the research firm, only about 1% of advertisers offer mobile coupons today. But over the next year, more advertisers are expected to tap this interest using mobile coupons or promotions, although anticipated growth will remain in single digits.

"Mobile coupons are gaining traction among advertisers, and are no longer just a niche tactic, rather they are moving toward the mainstream to more common use,” explained Neil Strother, analyst with JupiterResearch, in a statement. “There are definite benefits to using mobile coupons such as real-time offers, geo-targeting, personalization, time-of-day redemption tracking, triggering impulse purchases, and a lower cost of delivery. But while there is tremendous untapped potential, there are still barriers that exist.”

Oh, there's the little detail like equipment, however. Very few retailers have systems in place to read coupons directly from cell phones. Current methods for circumventing the issue include entering the code manually in a cash register; matching it with a customer’s loyalty card number; or writing it down on paper—the least preferable way.

Nonetheless, the firm says the ability to target prospective customers most likely to respond to an offer, the flexibility to launch new offers automatically through mobile systems, means more and more advertisers are about to make mobile part of their coupon-oriented marketing efforts.

Read more about it, here.

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Nielsen: 28 Million U.S. Mobile Subscribers Responded to Mobile Ad In Last 30 Days

Turns out 28 million of us have responded to at least one mobile ad in the last 30 days, according to a new report from Nielsen.

What's more, 58 million U.S. mobile subscribers say they recall seeing a mobile ad in the last 30 days.

At least that's the word from Nielsen Mobile's bi-annual Mobile Advertising Report, which is based on a survey of more than 22,000 active mobile data users who used at least one non-voice mobile service in the fourth quarter.

Other findings:

•     The number of data users who recalled seeing mobile advertising between the second and fourth quarters of 2007 increased 38% (from 42 to 58 million subscribers)

•     Teen data users (ages 13-17) were the most likely age segment to recall seeing mobile advertising (46% recalled seeing some type of mobile advertisement, compared to 29% of all data users)

•     Asian-Americans and African-Americans are more likely to recall mobile advertising (42% and 40%, respectively) than all data users

•     26% of those who saw an ad responded at least once by sending an SMS text-message, the most popular ad response.  9% say they've used click-to-call to respond to a mobile ad, where users follow a link on their phone to call a specific number

•    32% of data users said they are open to mobile advertising if it lowers their overall bill

•     13% (18% of males) said they are open to mobile advertising if it improves the media and content currently available

•     14% said they are already open to mobile advertising so long as it is relevant to their interests

•    23% expect to see more mobile advertising in the future (up from just 15% in Q1 2007)

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ABI Research: U.S. Consumers Want Single Mobile/Contactless Payment Accounts

U.S. consumers want to use their mobile phones for making in-store payments, but the majority only wants to have one credit/debit account for making those purchases, according to a new study from ABI Research.

According to the firm, much of the work on developing a standard application platform across near-field communications (NFC) handsets has to date been geared at providing a platform capable of supporting and managing multiple payment accounts from any number of credit and debit card issuers.

However, ABI Research’s study, consumers prefer a single account that is easy to manage on the handset.

“Our survey revealed a number of important attitudes toward contactless payments among US consumers,” says principal analyst Jonathan Collins, in a statement. “The desire for a single and separate account on NFC handsets, for example, provides a heads-up to existing credit and debit card suppliers that new or separate products may be required to keep customers as they move to mobile payments. Furthermore, it shows potential for new and specialized mobile payment providers to step in, as users turn to NFC-enabled payments.”

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eMarketer: Most Agencies 'Bearish On Mobile Marketing' in 2008

At least that's the word from eMarketer.

In a new study, eMarketer found that a third of ad agency executives polled are open-minded about significant spending on mobile marketing. But six out of 10 agency execs said it ain't going to happen this year.

Indeed, only 1% said they're investing heavily in mobile marketing in 2008, and none said they're definitely moving a good chunk of budget into mobile right now.

This even as the total amount of spend in mobile marketing is expected to nearly double this year - and grow 10 fold by 2011.

Why the disconnect, if you will? Depends on the audience. Though some marketers look to spend on a channel once it has become a mass medium, others use it because their target audiences use the channel.

"Urban youth, for instance, have a mobile-centric lifestyle, which explains why Sprite is moving to mobile," eMarketer senior analyst John du Pre Gauntt says.

Some of this makes sense. Brand marketers and general ad agencies are going to go with proven channels, and experiment with media like mobile. But I'm truly skeptical of the increase in spending projected for this year and through 2011.

One, because I think people are going to find that mobile's not a very interesting venue for delivering ads.

Two, because mobile's so much more powerful than that, especially when it's used as an interaction tool and response mechanism to commercial messages in other media - print, broadcast, direct, online and outdoor. A notion examined in more depth in BRANDING UNBOUND the book, and one that doesn't cost much money.

And three, because a growing number of operators are realizing that carelessly subjecting their subscribers to mobile advertising is likely to increase churn. A 2007 Pontis survey found that 70% of subscribers surveyed say mobile marketing campaigns are totally irrelevant to them, while two thirds are fed up with mobile phone spam.

According to Lorcan Burke, CEO, AdaptiveMobile, this is where the danger lies: disgruntled customers switching to a mobile provider with a more suitable mobile advertising strategy.

Time will tell how it plays out. But I think eMarketer has at least one of the equations right.

You'll want to read more, here and here.

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