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There’s an App for That: Mobile is the Next Frontier for Brand Engagement


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Mobile phones are rapidly emulating the capabilities of desktop and notebook PCs, serving as one of the three screens of the Golden Triangle that captures a bulk of our attention and interaction.

As the social web evolves, attention is shifting away from destinations and migrating towards packaging and engendering micro experiences. These self-contained environments are delivered directly to individuals where their attention is focused, catering to their appetite for consumption. Whereas Websites served this function from the 90s until recently, it was the interactive, immersive banners that resided on Web pages, improving over time, from Web 1.0 to 2.0, that would set the stage for encapsulated activities delivered through an undercurrent of marketing and messages. These rich multimedia applets evolved along with the rise of the most formidable trends online today:

– Social
– Mobile
– Real-time

From widgets to social network applications to mobile apps, the road between a brand and the brand you isn’t as elusive as one might suspect. It’s paved by the profiles created in each social network, defined by behavior, en masse, and while the roads are open and often toll-free, their direction perpetually changes with technology and trends.

The Fusion of Branding with the Mobile Lifestyle

The road to mobile productivity and connectivity wasn’t born yesterday. Their rise to ubiquity was catapulted with the mainstream glory days of the Palm platform, ultimately superseded by that of Windows Phone, Blackberry, and Nokia. But it wasn’t until the iPhone that we started to realize that mobile apps represent fully contained branding experiences, that to the surprise of many, compel users to download and readily interact with the app and beyond.

Most recently, VW opted out of a traditional marketing and advertising campaign when planning the debut of its 2010 GTI and instead funneled talent, resources, and dollars towards the development and distribution of a slick, interactive and stylish iPhone app with the new car at the center of the experience. Many industry experts considered the move either visionary or foolhardy. The point is that it realized that its target customers were most likely among the millions of iPhone customers actively seeking cool apps.

According to an AdAge article published in October 2009:

Volkswagen of America is launching the newest-generation GTI exclusively on an iPhone app, a cost-efficient approach the automaker said is a first for the industry. VW’s Real Racing GTI game for the iPhone and iPod Touch in the App Store includes a virtual showroom.

When the marketer introduced the GTI in 2006, it spent $60 million on a big-budget blitz with lots of network TV. By comparison, an executive familiar with the matter estimates the annual budget for mobile AOR services is $500,000. And while an iPhone-only strategy may seem limiting, consider this: In September, Apple reported there are more than 50 million iPhone and iPod touch customers worldwide. By comparison, CBS’ “NCIS,” the most-watched show for week ending Oct. 18, reached 21 million viewers and commands an average price of $130,000 for a single 30-second spot.

The true opportunity for branded apps however, isn’t relegated to the corporate giants who will no doubt continue to experiment with portable experiences. The real promise lies in the potential for individuals and small businesses to participate in mobile branding and engagement. Whereas the social Web democratized the ability to create and publish content while equalizing the opportunity for influence, mobile apps represent the syndication channels that will propel content into the hands of potential customers, stakeholders and advocates wherever, whenever.

To Get Things Done, Sometimes You Need to Do It Yourself

Celebrities, artists, performers, authors, and tech-savvy entrepreneurs and businesses are already distributing or developing iPhone applications to serve as their brand agents as well as trusted companions to fans and loyalists. What the Webmaster was to the early days of Web 1.0, developers are to the world of mobile applications. At an increasing clip, brands and personalities are seeking referrals, ideas, and bids from individual designers and agencies to create a killler app to either connect communities and/or create a supplemental revenue opportunity. Estimates range from a few thousand to tens of thousands.

So for those up-and-coming artists, entrepreneurs and small businesses, the idea of developing and marketing a custom app remains wishful and intangible.

Until now…

DIY? There’s an app for that.

I recently joined the board of advisors for Mobile Roadie, a new startup that is changing the way people interact with brands and personalities. @MobileRoadie is much bigger than the name implies. It’s an incredibly sophisticated infrastructure that places the power of creating an iPhone app and marketing it through iTunes within reach of almost anyone. Android support is expected soon.

The Mobile Roadie team essentially created a Web-based dashboard that walks users through the steps of creating, designing, customizing an elegant, rich, and fully immersive app that also gets automatic approval and distribution in Apple’s strict iPhone AppStore. More importantly, it channels all aspects of brand engagement, storytelling, news, conversations, traditional mailing updates, and commerce into one fun, easy-to-use, and encapsulating domain.

With Mobile Roadie, users can promote events and sell tickets directly via Ticketmaster and LiveNation (for performances) as well as link directly to commerce engines and Websites with content for sale.

For those brands that require a more sophisticated, custom, and interactive application, the Mobile Roadie team also serves as a talented design studio, already creating apps for some of the biggest names in the business (stay tuned).

In addition to artists, small businesses, and entrepreneurs creating and distributing apps, Mobile Roadie will also fuel a new trend in content publishing and distribution. Many bloggers are already extending their platforms from the blog HQ to Twitter, Facebook, RSS feed readers, and other social networks. In addition, several bloggers and publishers are also embracing the Kindle and Nook platforms (click here for a sample). Now, with applications such as Mobile Roadie, bloggers will have the ability to syndicate content as well as other social objects and promotions directly to the iPhone.

In just the last week, Jeremiah Owyang and Dave Taylor individually demonstrated their new iPhone apps to me with great enthusiasm. My little secret was that I also had an app, but I wanted to wait until Mobile Roadie opened its new platform.

In fact, not only is Mobile Roadie available now, it also announced a partnership with Ustream to live stream video from events, discussions, performances, etc., directly to the iPhone app.

For those using an iPhone, it is with great excitement that I announce the availability of my little app experiment. Without pulling any strings, I wanted to test the process of creating and marketing an app on my own to experience the process and also provide feedback to improve it. As it’s a new service, you’ll notice that it caters to musicians, hence the name. However the team is already verticalizing the application for business, authors, artists, bloggers, among other important markets and applications.

Touring the New Mobile Roadie App

iTunes View

iPhone Dashboard

App Home Page

The App News Feed (My Blog Posts)

Tweets

Upcoming Events/Appearances

An Interactive, Embeddable Fan Wall (Perhaps my favorite feature)

A Complete Mobile Experience – Videos, Biography, Mailing Lists, Links, About, Commerce

Whether you are a rock star, movie star, business owner, author, blogger, artist, or represent a corporate brand, in the era of the social and mobile Web, you now also serve as a brand manager in addition to your other roles. Creating and implementing a mobile strategy is no longer a luxury. In truth, mobile represents a marketing, service, and communications program that is both substantial and of great importance.

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55 COMMENTS ON THIS POST To “There’s an App for That: Mobile is the Next Frontier for Brand Engagement”

  1. Ray Welch says:

    Brand development goes mobile. Check out this article by @briansolis: https://www.briansolis.com/2009/12/there%e2%80%9

  2. alejandrorecio says:

    This just opens the door for so many different types of apps, then they will probably develop a manager that will help organize, sort and search for what you’re looking for. For every new development there is another that compliments it.

  3. Gail Helmer says:

    Once again, excellent and thought provoking article Brian. Very cool app! I have been developing mobile apps and social media integration for a client and this is very inspiring. Thanks!

  4. daniellebrehmer says:

    A great reminder to push the boundaries of the known, push past the relationships with which we're comfortable, and focus on what's not present. Inspiring post! Thank you.

  5. guillermo says:

    I HAVE TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING THE FIRST CHART. IT'S UNINTELLIGIBLE

  6. Brian, You're still leading the way. Hugely impressed and very cool app. Simon Mainwaring

  7. As usual, a very deep analysis, and very well said… Thanks for sharing the VW example. I was unaware of that campaign.

    I am especially excited about the future mobile offers to businesses hoping to connect online activities to offline conversions. Its undeniably valuable to any business without an option to transact online (like VW).

  8. Chris says:

    Fascinating stuff, as always. I've already had a long water cooler conversation today about how we could use the Mobile Roadie app to grow support for our nonprofit organization in ways we would not have ever considered before. This post also gives me ideas for how to help some new author friends that could use another way to build their fan bases.

  9. lancette says:

    Fascinating stuff, as always. I've already had a long water cooler conversation today about how we could use the Mobile Roadie app to grow support for our nonprofit organization in ways we would not have ever considered before. This post also gives me ideas for how to help some new author friends that could use another way to build their fan bases.

  10. kyle says:

    Brian,
    Thank you! Great post and dead on!! Any data on how well VW is doing with this campaign to date?

  11. Ryan says:

    I'd like to learn more about mobile. I'm a newbie in this area and realize its importance.

  12. Akash Sharma says:

    Thanks for sharing the insight Brian,I think Brands have already got a taste of mobile platform's future effectiveness and some credit for this should go to the IPhone as well which made a luxury category to a must have phone to keep yourself updated.
    A lot of things are lined to happen in the near future as brands move to a smaller yet workable screen and it would be important not only for branding yourself among a specific user group or making your PR better but also for advertising great stuff and that has been described by Google's acquisition of admob.

  13. mandibles says:

    I'm glad this MobileRoadie organization is going to be branching out from just iPhone apps. They controlled 13% of the market (I think?) in August, and while that's a big chunk it's not really smart to focus on things exclusively for that when there's so many other smart phone OSs out there and so many coming out.

  14. After reading this article I completely agree that mobile is the way of the future, when I got the IPhone I could not believe the applications I had at my finger tips

  15. Bernie Monette says:

    Application after application, you can do so much on a smart phone that they can be tailored to anyone's specific needs and wants.
    I do think the hardware is going in the wrong direction though. If the units where larger, if only slightly, maybe the size of a paperback instead of a credit card and have a full qwerty keyboard attached I could get rid of my computer and work from anywhere.
    Hey how about making an 8″ Netbook with a cellular service or a ten inch tablet with a fold away keyboard. But I digress.
    Media, applications and hardware are changing. Cassettes to CD's took several years. Now I don't want to buy the newest gadget for fear the on that comes out next month will be that much better. iPhone before Android phone for example, speaking of apps.

  16. Bernie Monette says:

    Application after application, you can do so much on a smart phone that they can be tailored to anyone's specific needs and wants.
    I do think the hardware is going in the wrong direction though. If the units where larger, if only slightly, maybe the size of a paperback instead of a credit card and have a full qwerty keyboard attached I could get rid of my computer and work from anywhere.
    Hey how about making an 8″ Netbook with a cellular service or a ten inch tablet with a fold away keyboard. But I digress.
    Media, applications and hardware are changing. Cassettes to CD's took several years. Now I don't want to buy the newest gadget for fear the on that comes out next month will be that much better. iPhone before Android phone for example, speaking of apps.

  17. basilfarano says:

    Brian, as a company that has been focusing on applications as a key to our mobile marketing strategies and is in the process of launching an iPhone app as well as a Facebook game by March 2010, its great to see that your thoughts concur we are moving in the right direction. Our company is also working with brands in the development of applications for use as part of an overall marketing strategy. I think the biggest challenge still lies in creating an app that is actually useful past the first download. With 90,000+ apps available on iTunes alone, there are only a handful that get continuous usage by consumers, and at the end of the day, an app that gets downloaded doesn't necessarily translate into success.

    • Good point Basil. Today's “downloads” are equal to 1998's “registered users.”

    • basilfarano says:

      great point dennis. we all know what “registered users” count for now.

    • briansolis says:

      Well said and very true. I've helped a few apps earn greater visibility by going outside the appstore to attract users and thus build their prominence within it. However…it's setting a precedent. Great apps don't necessarily ensure wide adoption – just like in traditional marketing.

    • basilfarano says:

      absolutely true. apps, need to think “big picture” when developing a strategy for success. if you treat your app like a brand, you'll need to look at attracting potential users attention in places other than iTunes. iTunes is essentially the “store”, but you need to get your target customer into the store to look for your product. That “store” has an awful lot of other products on its shelf!
      another important point regarding apple product is the iPod touch. this allows brands to market to a younger audience as well. with both iPhone and iPod touch, you can get your brand message to a very wide range of age users. this cant be said for other products such as blackberry.

  18. A.W.E.S.O.M.E Brian. I really liked the Mobile Roadie idea. That by itself explains what is “Blue Ocean” all about!

  19. telibrahma says:

    Hi Brain,

    Very informative article. Thanks for sharing.

    Good Day,
    TELiBrahma

  20. Pingback: Trends in Mobile

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