Mobilizing Your Business

The rise of smartphone technology has become something of a phenomenon and has great implications for businesses and consumers alike. Smartphones are unique because they allow consumers to access the Web, look for local information and purchase products and services, all while on the go. There is a great opportunity for businesses to benefit from this technology with mobile-friendly Websites.

A mobile-friendly site is usually a smaller, simpler version of your regular Website. Whenever a potential customer visits your Website while on a smartphone, he or she is automatically redirected to the mobile-friendly version. These sites are easier for smartphones to download and easier for mobile consumers to use. They are typically a bare-bones version of your site that presents only the necessary information to a consumer.

Creating such a site would allow your business to reach consumers using the latest craze in digital technology. Smartphones have permeated every market, which make them a great addition to your online marketing strategy. One of the latest popular trends is the rise of mobile games. For example, Angry Birds started out as a game for smartphones and became so popular that its campaign can now be seen virtually everywhere. More detail on their amazing campaign can be found in our last blog article, but the point is that smartphones were the beginning to viral success for Angry Birds. Other applications have also found success using smartphones as a medium, for example QR codes are wildly popular in advertisements.

Global Mobile Research and the Pew Internet Project have explored the usage and adoption of smartphones in recent studies. Their research has found that 83% of American adults own some type of mobile device and of those, 42% own a smartphone. A whopping 87% of smartphone users access the Internet or their email, while 82% of consumers use their smartphones while in a store.

Though consumers are actively using their smartphones to access information online, businesses were found to be lagging behind in terms of mobile marketing. The Global Mobile Research found that 33% of businesses in five countries have mobile optimized sites and only 19% have an app, or Web application.

The market for mobile-friendly business Websites has barely been tapped and the decision to develop one would allow customers to access your information wherever they are. Your mobile site will open more quickly and more easily on a smartphone than a competitor’s regular Website. Speed is everything to a potential customer who is on the go. Consider developing a mobile-friendly site today – King Media can help!

Angry Birds Marketing Campaign Soars to New Heights

There is a new addiction sweeping the globe that affects all ages, genders and races.  One can be caught engaging in this behavior at home, school – even at work.  What could possibly have us all obsessed?  Birds – and they are not happy. 

Launching a bird with a slingshot to break through wood, ice and cement in order to kill evil green pigs and retrieve stolen eggs may not sound addictive or even fun, but the Angry Birds game has become a world-wide phenomenon in just a few years.  The interactive game first developed for touch screen smartphones was released in 2009 and has since experienced tremendous success – and there is no slowing down.  It seems as though everywhere you look, the Angry Birds brand has made its mark across all markets. 

Rovio, the Finland-based company that created the hit game, has made several smart business decisions since the launch to ensure that Angry Birds will not be just a fad but instead a successful brand in the long term.  The brand has since branched out from a mobile game and its business ventures include expanding into online, TV, apparel and other merchandise, and there is even talk that the Birds will appear on the big screen.  Most recently, Rovio announced that fans will be able to play Angry Birds on Facebook.   

With the abundance of apps available for download for smartphone users, it would be considered enough of a success that Angry Birds has been able to maintain its popularity – it still holds the #1 spot on the Top Charts list on iTunes. It is also the #1 paid app in 67 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Italy, according to the Rovio website.  Instead of using this success to create more mobile games, Rovio decided to expand into numerous markets that have allowed Angry Birds to go from a game to a well-known brand.  Fans are able to enjoy stuffed animal birds and pigs, backpacks, lunch boxes, flip flops, neckties, socks, iPhone and iTouch cases, a board game, and even an Angry Birds cookbook. 

Marketers also realize that in order to satisfy the customer base around the world they must make the brand not only interactive, but unforgettable as well.  In May 2011, Angry Birds teamed up with T-Mobile and came to life in Barcelona, Spain.  A life-size Angry Birds game playable by pedestrians on the street was set up in the city square.  Passersby were able to play the game on a smartphone and watch the action in real life as super-sized Birds shot through the air and knocked over towers of wood and cement.  The video clip of the life-size version of the game became a viral hit and has proven that the brand is well-received world-wide. 

Rovio has managed to take a silly idea about birds plotting their revenge on pigs and turn it into an iconic success through a series of smart business ventures and creative campaigns.  Here at King Media, we are huge fans of this kind of creativity that breaks through the clutter (and of Angry Birds, too!).  If you would like to learn more about what our design and strategic planning teams can offer you, please visit our website for an in-depth list of our services and examples of past creative campaigns.

Decoding QR Codes

If you have recently opened up a magazine or browsed through your direct mail, then you have probably encountered QR codes.  They are those black and white, two-dimensional barcodes that are taking the advertising world by storm.  Invented in Japan about a decade ago, these “quick response” codes are the latest trend in advertising for any market in the U.S.  QR codes have a lot of potential for advertisers, but if you want to know how to best utilize them in your ads, here are some of the facts.

1. Immediate access to digital content on the web. 

QR codes can connect your potential customers to a number of phone and web functions. These include a web browser, email, text and instant messaging.  Basically, you are eliminating a step for the consumer.  Instead of trying to remember the URL to your website, customers can scan your QR code and be on your site in an instant.

2. Large information storage capabilities.

QR codes are similar in structure to barcodes, with the key difference being the amount of information that can be held.  Barcodes are used by retailers to track inventory and price products, but QR codes can be used to hold more information that is useful to consumers.  For instance, QR codes can hold anything from coupons, contact information or social media identification, a link to a YouTube video or website, or simply further details on products, competitions or events.

3. QR Codes are scanned by applications on smart phones.

Anybody with a smart phone can download an application that scans QR codes.  Of course, if a potential customer does not have a smart phone then the QR code is not useful to them.  This is not a big concern, however, as smart phones are taking over the cell phone market. Also, you can simply use your own smart phone to scan the code, explain to the consumer how the technology works, and email the information to their account. This will ensure that the consumer is aware of what QR codes can do and are able to access the information.

 

Essentially, QR codes are a new way to communicate directly with consumers.  It takes a different path from traditional advertising to catch the consumer’s attention and generate interest.  It is also an easier and faster way for consumers to find the information they want, when they want it. Unlike other forms of communication, QR codes encourage consumers to interact with your advertisement and immediately gives them a wealth of information.

Furthermore, QR codes have a number of benefits for you, the advertiser. First, you can build up your database of potential customers through the names and emails of those scanning your code.  Also, it solves the problem of consumers throwing away print ads and direct mail.  QR codes ensure that the information is readily available to them on their phone.

Remember, QR codes still have that “wow” factor and both consumers and businesses are having fun with them.  If you’d like to take advantage of this new trend that engages customers with your brand, give the King Media team a call and we can help you develop a tailored marketing strategy using QR codes for your business’ needs.

Scan this code with your smart phone and see how useful this new technology is! Once you scan it, consider signing up for our newsletter database to receive more information about King Media!