Textopoly Mobile Blog » Short code

Powerade needs an aide

Naushad — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:55:05 +0000

I was happily camping a couple weeks back with some buddies in Pismo. On one of our regular visits to the convenient store I saw a mobile call to action for Powerade! The promotion was to win prizes for their World Cup sweepstakes. The print call to action had cool soccer players in the background playing under dark skies, and the ad was stuck right on the glass door of the Powerade section of the 10 glass door cooler. Placement of the call to action along with the appealing graphic and visibility was phenomenal. Of course I texted in, keyword was PA2010 to short code number 878787. (Personally I would have used keyword that was all letters and not a combination of letters and numbers, but I’m sure they had their reasons.)

What would you have replied back with? Why couldn’t there be a multiple choice!? Is this the best execution for a Coke brand? Am I making too much of this and everyday people totally get this? Holla’ back if think I’m off base on saying this is poor user experience.

Ireland: land of Guiness, potatoes & mobile

Naushad — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:16:31 +0000

From the moment I landed in Europe mobile campaigns assisting alongside traditional marketing campaigns are widespread. Alcohol brand Carlsberg is using a mobile call to action with a fun campaign called “What’s on, where?”. User can text CARLSBERG to the short code to get information on where the party’s at! The call to actions are properly placed on coasters at all pubs in Dublin and to increase participation, the texts for the Carlsberg campaign are a freetext which does not take away from the users standard rate messaging plan. In the States this is called Free to the End User (FTEU), but is not supported cross-carrier (surprise, surprise). Currently Carriers that will approve a FTEU campaign are T-Mobile, AT&T and perhaps Verizon (yes, “perhaps”). Whether or not U.S. Carriers will support a program from a alcohol brand is on a case-by-case basis with the fundamental thought that if the program encourages a user to drink then it most likely won’t be allowed, but then again there are exceptions to this too.

The Miller Light campaign is called Give It A Twist. The CTAs ask users to take a picture with an interesting twist and text the photo to the long-code 353833333224 for the weekly chance to win money and a trip to NYC. Conceptually we’ve done programs like this in the States, but instead of asking users to send the picture to a phone number the picture is typically sent to an email address. Yes, it would be much easier to have the picture sent via MMS to a short code, but the only Carriers in the U.S. that support a MMS to short code campaign are AT&T and Verizon. Sprint will allow MMS to short code but only if the brand will charge the end user to participate, thus a premium program only. Alltel, Cin Bell and Cricket are ‘maybes’.

Just as we’ve been hearing for the past 3 years, ‘experts’ are saying that this upcoming year is the year for mobile; we’ll see if the Carriers are listening because brands, agencies and creative kats are ready to start using the ubiquitous mobile device in conjunction with traditional marketing more frequently. However, it’s hard when programs such as FTEU, MMS to short codes, downloadable content, and even standard rate alerts services are not cross-carrier! (Yup, even standard rate alerts are not cross-carrier, ask Cricket for starters.)

This really chaps my hide

Naushad — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:53:51 +0000

It seems like every time I speak to a brand or agency about mobile and how wonderful it is, how valuable it is, how it’s opt-in and how we as a human race can’t live without it someone in the room exclaims that they recently got a text message from a brand and never opted into it and that the message was from a 7-digit number not a short code. ARRGGHHH! Stop ruining my space you bottom feeding nancy pansies!

I’ve just about had enough and will start listing these rogue mobile spammers in the hopes that they don’t give mobile the stigma that email has – spam. Mobile is not spam. Lists of mobile numbers should not be purchased and consumers should not be sent messages they have not opted to receive! All mobile commercial messages must be sent via short codes and if you don’t know why then you are who I am directing this soapbox speech to! Seriously, holla’ at us, we’ll help you!

Ok, here are some recent offenders:

18|8 Hair Saloon in Irvine: The copy of your messages are well written, but you can’t send us messages from a 7-digit numbers especially since I never opted in to receive these messages! Please contact a mobile professional so you’re not sued – yes, you can be sued to to tune of $500 per message per person for each spammed text message.
Here is a message my attorney got while I was sitting with him this morning (I swear!) “Is your mortgage payment too expensive? Our Loan Modification program can lower your payments immediately. May we please give you a call?” The sender’s number was from a 562 area code. See above hot-shot, no bueno.

Have you been a victim of this? Let us know and we’ll post it for others.

Is Mobile “Social Media”

Naushad — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 07:01:54 +0000

While preparing for a panel on social media recently I was surprised to NOT find any authority that labeled mobile as social media! I found authority on what social media isn’t, which is monologue broadcast one to many, and what social media is, which is “many to many”, but then where does mobile sit?

By the definitions above it seems,at first glance, that mobile might not be social media since tactics such as SMS alerts are ‘one to many’. The use of mobile in any marketing campaign is to boost and compliment traditional channels such as Print, Web and TV. Interacting with traditional media, in a 100% opt-in environment is a key element to mobile, and which turns traditional advertising into an engagement, rather than a one-way communication. Recently Hooters ran TV commercials about, what else, hot wings! (Tasty little buckers they are. . .). The commercials ran with graphics at the bottom of the screen inviting viewers to learn more about the Hooters Mobile Club. Users were asked to text the keyword WINGS to the short code and receive Free Boneless Wings by joining the Mobile Club. This social media component to a traditional one-way ad increased sales by 32% according to Hooters! (See full article here.) I haven’t seen the commercial and can’t find it! If anyone has it please send me a copy to post!

So is mobile social media? Absolutely, no doubt about it. If the premise behind social media is to engage and have a many to many feel then mobile is a key vehicle.

New CSCA Application Process

Kang — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:01:13 +0000

If you were interested in getting yourself a commercial shortcode, there is only one way you could get one. You would have to apply and register with the Common Short Code Authority (CSCA, www.usshortcodes.com). It’s interesting that there are numerous aggregators, a variety of wireless carriers, but only one place to get a commercial short code! The CSCA (Common Short Code Administration) has the shortcode gig locked down much like how the DMV is the gatekeeper to our license to drive. The big difference is that they’re not a government agency, but still are immune to any kind of competition. (What a great business to be in!)

Recently, the CSCA has changed their application process for PSMS and standard rate shortcodes. Not only are you paying the leasing fees, but now you must complete a very thorough application process. There was a time in the not so distant past where applying for a shortcode was a simple process and the application requested information on how the shortcode was being used, who was leasing it, and how it was advertised. There were other tidbits of information requested, but they were all relevant to leasing the shortcode. You would then go on to pay your fees and begin the long haul of work with an aggregator to get your shortcode certified with the Carriers.

Now the CSCA application process has become its own beast. The CSCA is requesting all sorts of information about the proposed campaign that really should be managed on a Service Provider or Carrier level. They even go as far as requesting what keywords are being used on the shortcode! How is a brand to know what keywords it will be using when trying to obtain the lease of the shortcode while still being months away from having the code certified and then an actual campaign launched! Could this possibly be the CSCA’s attempt to maintain their domination of the shortcode skies?