By : Ellis Watts and Matt Rainone, Managers, Strategic Marketing Group
One of our favorite events from this year’s CES was the Mobile Apps Showdown. This event gave ten app developers four minutes to pitch their app concept to the audience and conduct a quick on-stage demo for the chance to win CES glory. Today, we take a quick look at five finalists that inspired our imaginations.
By : Matt Jacobs, Director, Strategic Marketing Group
With the holidays quickly approach, AMP recently conducted a Mobile Shopping Survey to get a pulse on consumers' likelihood to use their mobile devices for holiday shopping and to better understand key motivators for mobile shopping adoption. The statistics "rang" loud and clear. Consumers are using their mobile devices to shop and even more are planning on making a purchase this holiday season. Is your mobile strategy ready for the holiday shopping rush?
By : Ellis Watts, Manager, Strategic Marketing Group
On the business development front, we’ve noticed a handful of clients and prospects that have expressed interest in developing a downloadable application for their brands. Who can blame them? I personally get giddy every time I fire up the Urbanspoon app on my iPhone. "Where should I eat tonight?? The possibilities are ENDLESS!" And we’ve all killed an hour or 70 playing Angry Birds. But is this the right solution for your brand / product / service / Russian mob scam? Let’s examine a few questions that you should ask yourself to see if it makes sense.
By : Marisa Wohl, Account Executive, Integrated Public Relations
I know with the advances of modern technology we are all more connected than ever to our cell phones (read “unhealthily attached”). We text during movies, keep our phones on the table at dinner and drive the streets with one hand on the wheel and the other on the message we’re trying to send (Text Laws be damned!). But despite our attachment to our phones, there is a need for a break sometimes. And in my opinion, that break should always apply to the bathroom.
By : Elizabeth Mann, Coordinator, Public Relations
Let’s see what’s new in social media this week… Path, the "50-friend limit" social networking site, continues to gain momentum, Facebook looks to launch a commenting platform, and mobile spending forecasts continue to increase for 2011. Click through for article links and to read more news from this week!
By : Jess Lee, Account Coordinator, Digital Marketing
There’s no question that integrated social media programs generate awareness and buzz, give you a say in the existing conversations about your brand, and allow you to provide immediate customer service. The next step is to not only be social, but mobile as well. Encouraging mobile interaction at the point of purchase with mobile couponing/QR codes and giving users a reason to come back for more with a branded mobile application is key. Integration is crucial – Brands should leverage their Facebook page, Twitter handle, and existing website to promote/drive mobile initiatives.
By : Eli Moger, Intern, Account Management
Confession: I’m attached to my mobile phone. I don’t just mean that I carry it all the time, I mean I’m so emotionally connected to it that I feel naked, confused, lost and anxiety-stricken if I forget it or can’t find it. I have some theories as to why this is, and I also recognize that my symptoms have only worsened since my move to a city five months ago, but my prediction is that it will only get worse. It’s a no-brainer that mobile phones have become so much more than a device to make calls to other phone numbers. As we move towards the future, here are some cool things that mobile “phones” can do and will be doing before we know it.
