CNET has an interesting article on big consumer brands gradually moving their attention to mobile phones. Cell phones offer the possibility of establishing a direct relationship with customers, and brands obviously hope to take advantage of such opportunity. However, jumping on the mobile bandwagon is not for everyone. As some expert point out, branded content needs to be relevant and high-quality in order to succeed. As you know, content is expensive to produce and, when it comes to mobile phones, it also gets expensive to deliver. This means brands really need to understand whether such investment is worth or not, in terms of ROI but also of brand strenght over time.

LimeLife has revealed the findings of a research examining the mobile motivations, usage patterns and content interests of women. LimeLife predicts that the number of women ages 15-45 who download mobile content will grow to 20 million by 2007.

1. The mobile phone initially serves as a "private line" for girls 16-17 then evolves to an "always with me connected buddy" during college years, gradually becoming more functional and ultimately beginning to serve as a "command central" for working moms and women pursuing careers.

2. Games are second only to ringtones for desired mobile downloads among women.

3. 67% of those surveyed showed strong interest in wallpapers made from "Photos I Take." Further, the use of ringtones as "caller ID" identifiers is also representative of the importance of customization and personalization in mobile content for younger women. 69% of women surveyed, aged 18-22, have already downloaded one or more ringtones.

Although the research is obviously focused on mobile content, I believe marketers can also take great advantage of such fidings. If you know what women like, it is becomes easier (or at least, less difficult) to create the mobile marketing campaigns targeting them.

MTV has partnered with Warner Music to allow mobile subscribers in most European countries to download or stream to their phones a unique short-form mobile package of WMG and other world-renowned artists appearing at the awards. Included in the mobile package will be clips of red carpet arrivals and pre-show interviews; short backstage interviews with the artists; clips of award presentations from artists such as WMG's Sean Paul; and excerpts of music videos.
Gary Ellis, VP, Content & Operations, MTV Networks International, said:

The event will take place in Lisbon, tomorrow, I suppose, but it's impossible to find such info on MTV's websites.

The International Herald Tribune explores the business potentials of mobisodes and video delivered to portable devices such as iPods, PSP and mobile phones. From Fox to MTV, what are big media companies doing? Will mobisodes ever challenge TV shows?

If you're interested in mobile video, also check out this: Study: 1% of Mobile Subs Use Video.

In the UK, the BBC has just launched "Your shout" a trial service which allows football fans to send in 3G video messages with their opinions on football. The best video comments will be shown on Saturday's Football Focus and on the Football Focus website.

The technology for this service has been developed by VoxSurf. Andy Munarriz, co-founder of VoxSurf explains:

Lost and Desperate Housewives are just the beginning. Disney ABC Television is working to deliver more video content to iPods. Information Week reports Disney expects its mobile video subscriber business to reach 14 million in 2009, up from about 200,000 today.

But important issues remain to be solved to allow iPod video content taking off. The first regards intellectual property rights. Disney owns Lost and Desperate Housewives from from beginning to end of production so they have no problem negotiating with distributors. But what happens when the content is sold outside the US where Disney sells licences to air such tv-series?

CBS is considering making the popular Tv-series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation available to mobile phones. MediaWeek reports their are thinking about creating so-called "mobisodes" as Fox is already doing with 24.

In Australia, Harper Collins Publishers have partnered with Legion Interactive to offer customers book chapter samples directly to their mobile phone. The service is called MobileReader and it was created to fulfill the needs of booklovers who don't have the time to gather information on the upcoming books.

The first excerpts will be from bestsellers authors Dean Koontz and Paulo Coelho and from the Australian author Janine Allis. Mobile can sign up online, on the MobileReader website.

Mobile marketing is not just for brands, it can prove effective and powerful for public administrations also. In London residents will be able to request details of when their recycling is collected or where their nearest recycling facilities are, all by texting RECYCLE and their full postcode to the number 63131.

E-Consultancy reports the service is part of an effort to encourage Londoners to recycle more. An outdoor advertising campaign by Recycle for London has also been launched to support the initiative.

In less than one year football fans from around the world will have only one thing in mind: the FIFA World Cup. As Ahmed Siddiqui writes on New Media Age the event offers tremendous opportunities to mobile marketers. Germany 2006 has a potential of $8.4 billion in content revenues but brands need to take into account the event's peculiarities.

The World Cup is a disruptive event as it stops people from doing what they would normally do, so marketers also need to think different, concentrating on pre-game and after-game initiative, when the target's attention will be higher. According to Siddiqui, who is research manager for the Wireless World Forum, mobile messaging will play a key role in marketing campaigns, since it is immediate and easy to use for the end users.

The Backstreet Boys are in back in music with the Never Gone Tour, but the are most of all back in business taking advantage of mobile communication. During the concerts fans can send text messages to the group, which will then read them on the stage. Vibes Media is providing the technology for this initiative. Music fans can also sign-up to receive behind-the-scenes footage from the tour. Promomagazine reports each message sent to the band costs $2.99 and the band has already generated more than $25.000 in mobile sales.

Not just short mobisodes, but even entire TV shows delivered directly to your mobile phone. Are you interested? Many of you at the moment would probably answer "no", but according to the mobile industry experts, 291 million people worldwide will use mobile video services by 2010 (source: Informa Telecom).
The International Herald Tribune has a good article on the future of mobile TV, looking at what is happening in South Korea, and at the opportunities currently being considered by European carriers. Some companies are trying to replicate the "living room effect", some other prefer to focus on content on-the-go.

From the US we hear that Cingular Wireless is trying to sign a partnership with cable network HBO to offer a mobile version of Sex and the City, The Sopranos, Six Feet Under and Deadwood. Newsweek reports the business model for this deal will be based on a monthly subscription offer.

On New Media Age (reg. req.) Hugh Burrows, commercial director at Que Pasa, reviews the WAP portal Warner Bros has created to support its movie Batman Begins.

The m-site, created by Minick, offers few free and a lot of paid content: details on the movie, a photo gallery, ringtones, screensavers and a mobile game. Overall, Burrows' assessment is positive, although he argues Warner Bros should have provided more content for free to attract more users.

3G, music and money

US users disappointed by mobile data services

Celebrity magazine launches WAP portal

Hello Moto, Hello Mtv

Porn stars offers mobile advices

MMS pictures will become stamps in Switzerland

An iMode guide to the museum

Money rings in The Netherlands

Marvel Universe goes wireless

Disney Mobile lands in Spain

It's ringtones mania (for now)

Mobile soap opera arriving to Australia

Mobile greeting cards

Star Wars goes wireless

Sexy content for US mobiles

Mobile Advent calendar

Emerging market for mobile graphical content

Mobile content boom

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