Page 183 - Convergent Journalism an Introduction Writing and Producing Across Media

Staying Connected with Instant Messaging

Cell phone companies have been quick to see the opportunities of
mobile IM. With a cell phone or PDA, an instant message can be routed
through a computer IM service or sent directly from cell phone to cell
phone. AOL, the leading mobile IM provider, offers buddy lists and
chat rooms via IM.
The largest segment of mobile IM is short message service (SMS).
With the push of a button, you can send and receive short text mes-
sages between cell phones without having to go through an Internet
IM service. Some cell phone services allow you to send and receive
messages among all four major IM providers.
Multimedia message services (MMS) is an advanced version of
mobile IM service that’s popular in the United Kingdom and Europe.
It allows for text, video, audio, and images to be sent in messages
on cell phones. You can also download ring tones and wallpaper and
play interactive games. You can create, edit, preview, and send MMS
messages, either via mobile phones or the Web.
For advertisers, IM, SMS, and MMS have huge potential. Being
able to send an ad directly to Internet or mobile IM users and have
them interact with the message is the ultimate in consumer interaction. 173
It’s part of the new multimedia approach using “life flow experience”
marketing.
Advertisers around the world are launching interactive ad campaigns
using all types of IM. SMS-TV chat lines are a growing advertis-
ing source in Europe, according to The McKinsey Quarterly (Bughin,
2004). TV viewers of music contests and reality shows can send text
messages to vote for their favorite show or contestant. In Germany,
viewers can buy CDs and concert tickets on Viva, a music-TV
channel.
U.S. Cellular and the Chicago White Sox recently did an SMS
text-messaging campaign. During games, the “Question of the Day”
appeared on the field’s electronic scoreboard. Fans who responded
correctly via text messaging were entered into a drawing for White
Sox tickets, merchandise, and a chance to “Take the Field” with the
players.
In the United Kingdom, 20th Century Fox partnered with a cell
phone provider on an MMS wireless campaign for the Alien vs. Predator
movie. By text messaging ALIEN or PRED to a special campaign num-
ber, users voted on who would win the battle between the movie
monsters. Voters with color-screen cell phones received free Alien vs.
Predator wallpaper to display on their phone.