NewsLine Column: Looking Forward to Mobile Media
Dominic Pride, head of mobile at music marketing agency, Frukt, is this week’s columnist. He gives his views on the current state of mobile technologies, and the ways in which they could develop in the future.
Finally in 2004 we will see mobile handset and network technology reach a stage in development where rich media, high speed and high quality interactive media experiences are made truly portable.
It also happens that the core audiences of the music industry, particularly the 15-24 demographic, are also the fastest adopters of mobile technology such as ringtones and messaging.
More forward looking segments of the traditional music business have recognised that consumers are becoming less group-oriented and more individualistic. This manifests in now well-recognized consumer behavior that has driven uptake of mobile services specifically personalization: consumers tailor products to their own tastes. Customisation of that most personal of artifacts the mobile handset has spawned a valuable industry of ringtone, graphic and replacement cover vendors in the space of a couple of years.
Now technology has finally caught up, and consumers are demanding a higher quality of content, the network operators have invested heavily in DRM (digital rights management). This gives the content owners the peace of mind to license their product for distribution via the mobile platform. O2 and T-Mobile have both launched music download services for their customers already.
Music and mobile are in bed; their markets overlap, the technology is improving daily and the stakeholders are backing music as a champion consumer activity on mobile.
All content, from full artist albums to low resolution quality monophonic ringtones and news alerts has been shown to have value to the consumer. As such the marketing opportunity for brands helping deliver the sought after mobile music experience stand to gain in terms of credibility and value to the consumer.
However, as the potential for low-cost, effective mobile marketing grows, so does the potential for bad mobile marketing. The owners of the majority of music content have traditionally been “broadcasters”, used to pushing a message via promotion, print and broadcast media. Creating a personal relationship requires a new approach, involving a deeper understanding of how, why and when consumers interact with their phones. The traditional music business needs support in developing these relationships, as ultimately both brands and music business can benefit from the relationships created through their content.
Given the personal nature of the mobile handset as a communication tool and the highly personal factor of taste when using music, marketers must consider carefully what consumers want and the extent to which they are prepared to allow marketing messages into such a personal environment. Poorly targeted marketing efforts that invade this space are treated accordingly. Under the new DPA, it’s more than just bad practice – unsolicited communications carry steep fines.
Mobile will become increasingly important in the lives of consumers now the payment and DRM infrastructures are being established and it is clear from the actions of operators, handset manufacturers and content providers that music will be a core component of this new era. How long will it be before we see an iPod with a SIM card inside? how long before the complex business of ticketing will happen entirely on the handset – from ticket purchase to redemption and then for payment for drinks?
Understanding the opportunities needs time and effort, but it could be time well spent if the future pans out the way the stakeholders are planning and investing in.
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