All posts tagged ‘trends’

by CalebMarch 25, 2010

Perspective: scenarioDNA's Tim Stock On Mobile Behavior, Culture, and Trends

mobile

In order to further our understanding of the behaviors developing around mobile technology, we have been reaching out to experts around the world for their unique insights. By doing this, we are able to escape ourselves and become exposed to new perspectives.

178b731Tim Stock runs a consumer insight shop called scenarioDNA that helps brands connect with culture. He also teaches courses in design research and trend analysis at Parsons the New School for Design.

apple-newton

What is your background and relationship with mobile?

My connection to mobile goes back to the early nineties when I worked for a start-up developing the Apple Newton as a tool for museums and retailers. That experience impacted how I saw technology going forward. On one hand, it was the model for how we stitch technology to real experiences. On the other hand, it showed how aware we need to be of the limitations of the tools. Who wanted to drag around that huge thing to get that experience?

That was a critical moment for the Newton. Developing programs that worked in real spaces and layering experiences to that. Using infrared as a location prompt to art objects and places within cities. It was the template for what we see today - but you couldn't get past the fact that Newton was heavy and huge and the screen would wash out if there was the slightest of glare. It was a brilliant concept looking at how to use technology to augment informational experiences. But we can't put the tools before the human. So the work with scenarioDNA is to balance that by finding the richest opportunities to make experiences better. Insight into culture and human behavior is critical.

trends

You track cultural trends, could you give us a brief explanation of your process? How do you pinpoint the small things, the behavior that drives larger trends?

It all starts with people and the cultures that drive their behavior. We developed a methodology called Culture Mapping that is a visual explanation of how distinct cultural groups drive certain language and behavior. It allows us to follow how certain trends evolve and uncover patterns. It allows us to see where any brand may be missing certain opportunities to connect with. The idea is to get beyond generalized consumers and see creative narrative opportunities that are rich, nuanced and evolving. It doesn't matter what trends are happening now - it matters what the structure of that is to show us where it is going and how to join in. Small things today can lead to big movements tomorrow.

Levi_iPhone-1

The future is not about advertising, it is about behavior. Mobile phones amplify our ability to experience the world around us, what are your thoughts on the opportunities this might bring to brands?

When I want a picture of the future challenge for brands I look at my eight year old. She has been downloading apps and time-shifting her TV viewing since she had the ability to hold the device in her hand. Her idea of how things should work are based on what she thinks should happen. If that doesn't work for her, she shuts it off. Brands need to get in sync with that reality. Less advertising and more surprise and delight. Shifting perspective to what she sees and wants. Mobile becomes synonymous with our consumption at some point when everything is on the grid and part of the conversation. That reality needs to sink in if we are to get the responsibility necessary to make that work.

What, if any, current cultural "macro trends" do you see affecting the way we use our mobile device? What are the variables driving growth in its use?

I think the biggest macro trend that drives the opportunities for mobile is a search for real experiences. We are tapped out of being plugged in - the old internet model of interaction. The laptop and the website are fading, and the fusing of digital and real is becoming more fluid. Augmented reality gives us a glimmer of that fluid and layered narrative world. Moving past the technology as the centerpoint of the discourse and rather having it simply make "real" work better. The challenge will be if we can move our thinking along. To build value and story for people rather than cluttering up the virtual landscape as it overlays on real stuff. We see cities removing video billboards - mobile done wrong can be a nightmare of clutter where we burn people out of anything coming from that channel. Real and authentic is the mandate of the new economy. We have to live up to that in every way.

distance

In your presentation on Culture Networks, you mention that new networks erode distance (time and space is compressed). How do you think mobile communication will continue to change society?

I see mobile as the critical point of human fusing with device. That fusing makes the human part of the relationship more important and essential to how stuff works. Technology used right empowers human needs and desires. The idea of access and connectivity then become a catalyst for human invention and creativity. I've been working with a great educational non-profit called Sweat Equity Enterprises started by Marc Ecko that is transforming how young people learn to be designers. Technology is at the core of how education will be transformed in the future - but not in how we learn - but in how it empowers the potential of the individual in collaborating and connecting with others. There are naturally occurring culture networks that work to educate globally on how Jerking (the dance) is done or how to glitch in Halo - imagine that integrated into education from year one. We need to recognize how powerful this new digital network is and start building models that really take advantage of that in substantive ways. Empower creativity that spawns self-sustaining culturally-driven markets. it's about creative conspiring. You can explore, gain information and find serendipity with likeminds.

In Psychology of Space, you list out different kinds of spaces. Mobile technology is used differently in public and personal space, but do you think this "warping of space and time" is causing these lines to blur at all?

I think the clearest example of that is how we work today. The concept of work 20 years ago was defined by space and distance. It was a physical place we went to. Now it has become more conceptual. We create tiers of work based on the level of interaction needed. We develop methods for balancing those relationships with our personal lives. Mobile empowers our control over the relationship we have with work. It is up to us to figure out the balance. The idea of a defined work space with files and rolodexes used to feed the early model of mobile interaction design in devices like the Newton and the early Palm devices. Now the usability of work experiences is measured by how much they resemble home and non-work interactions. Status updates replace faxes and friend requests replace contact lists. This warping of home and work space offers a lot of great opportunities because it forces us to bring that human component to the problems we solve for others. If we solve them in the context that we live and not separated off in some isolated work tank - we are much more likely to make stuff better. Mobile certainly empowers that.

cell-phone-texting

In a recent Independent article, Linguist David Crystal discusses Twitter, texting and our native tongue. Language is always changing, how does the way we talk hint at change in our mobile behavior?

I think the nature of communication is fundamentally changed by instant power of what mobile does to that. In so many ways it is a test of our own expression of usability. We can wing off a text and something happens - it feeds that response loop. And in that we learn, sometimes the hard way, the price of using language in ways that don't match to the response we would hope. Twitter and texting forces us to condense our syntax and comprehension into powerful nuggets of meaning. Our use of language becomes layered and shifts between circles of familiarity and with those we need to bridge comprehension. The average person now has a greater understanding of the contextual implications of language as well as the ways it can unify us around similar goals regardless of where we are and what our native tongue may be. The process and the impact become more important than the form. We design to shape effect - it is a fundamental human expression.

What value is there for brands to visualize behavior?

The real insights are in the structure of how things work. The motives behind what makes us connect with certain products or experiences. Seeing the patterns and plotting the behavioral data makes the process of shaking out insights much easier. The answer to many brand problems is often not focusing on one particular group and its data, but rather looking at the ways groups are distinguished and differentiated. This can take the form of brand affiliations, preferred product ingredients, and the way media tools are used to organize and propel behavior within groups. It helps us see how generations differ and unite around certain themes. It can also help us plot the nuances within a particular generation. The trick is knowing what data is worth bringing into the visual map. We can be awash in data that isn't really helping tell the story. Typically more product and category than human-centric data. This requires a structured approach to how the data is gathered. Starting with recruitment and effective filtering there - feeding from cultures rather than a generalized type- and moving through into the modalities of research that offer real language as opposed to surveyesque responses. We use these visual maps to plot the path of adoption from the strongest points out into the culture at large. It keeps brands in touch and able to evolve as the language around their products is evolving.

ipad

Any predictions or developments you are following? What do you think about, say, the iPad?

Looking at developments like iPad I think rest on how well they solve a broad base of problems for real people. The adoption rests on where the behavior is going. And the cultures that will drive that behavior. It is one of the challenges Kindle has as it addresses a design solution for a diminishing behavior - traditional one platform reading. Because it is so specialized it also forces the issue of taking something away from the pleasure of reading a physical paper book. Kindle reminds me a lot of the Palm V. Great - but for who - where does that lead? It needs to be more than a reader for it to have sustainability. How is it passed on from that original adopter on to other groups that will get it and add to the meaning. I see the Kindle market driven a lot by Xers who don't mind that. It works as a badge for many.

The opportunity for iPad lives much more as a transmedia device. Less about reading and more about the interrelation between media print, video and game media forms. The ultimate device is one that can effectively feed content around multiple formats and begin to stitch that together into a marketing platform for that content property. Much like Nike ID does for that brand and the culture of running. I also see it as an easy replacement for laptops used as presentation and sales tools. We know we have gotten to the critical tipping point when we are no longer talking about the delivery device and we are talking about the experience itself. We may have a little further to go there with iPad - but the potential is great.

by MBJanuary 21, 2010

Mobile Trends for 2010: How the Computer in Your Pocket Is Changing Your Business

nexus

This article was originally published online at AdAge.com, where we contribute content for the Digital Next blog.

Advertising is not what it was ten years ago. The past decade has seen the advent of social computing and mobile technology, two forces that changed the game forever. What will the future hold? On our respective blogs, MobileBehavior and Organic, have been tracking developments in mobile that will affect advertising in 2010 and beyond.

1. Mobile will completely revolutionize the way local advertisers can connect with potential customers.

While online display advertising has been incredibly effective for many companies, it hasn't offered all that much value to small, independently owned businesses. For one, the web is good at scale, not so good at precision. It's difficult for mom-and-pops to reach the relatively small audiences that might reasonably be expected to patronize their stores.

A number of new location-based services are beginning to provide attractive alternatives for such small-scale advertisers. Foursquare, for one, allows small business to target offers based on a user's actual proximity to their location. These offers can deliver heightened relevance by appealing to a player's status, nearby friends, or demonstrated preferences. A similar service, Gowalla, has experimented with branded badges and actual prizes that users can win if they check in at a location. Google is also catering more to local businesses by making their Place pages more mobile-friendly. Advertisers can now create Place pages that are accessible through Google Maps, attach mobile coupons, and even include QR code stickers in their window that lead you to these pages.

These examples are really only scratching the surface of what's possible for local businesses through mobile. Expect to see more mom-and-pops jump on these platforms in 2010.

2. Growth in adoption of mobile shopping applications will continue to alter in-store consumer behavior, increasing the significance of mobile in point of sale decisions making.

There are a number of mobile applications and tools emerging that consumers can use to make their shopping trips more efficient, productive, and fun. First, there are mobile price comparison apps such as Shop Savvy, Red LaserAmazon Mobile. These allow shoppers to compare prices at a given location against nearby competitors and online properties -- an incredibly powerful proposition. There are also crowdsourcing tools like Fashism and BazaarVoice's MobileVoice that help shoppers get outside opinions and feedback before purchasing. These types of apps are prime territory for marketers looking to inject a brand into a target audience's psyche at a critical juncture in their decision making process.

Then there are, of course, mobile coupons, which are finally getting some traction. ZaversYowzamobiQpons and Cellfire are actively signing up small businesses, and it's only a matter of time before big box stores get on board. Add increased consumer adoption, POS redemption infrastructure and a social dynamic and the appeal to marketers will be greater than ever.

All of the above will provide inroads for more effective CRM, specifically, loyalty programs. Consumers checking their phone just before they buy something will create opportunity to deliver more effective personalized messaging derived from prior purchase decisions.

3. Brands and agencies will continue to build branded apps, but will also have more attractive display media options, thanks to Google.

In 2009, we saw a number of brands scramble to check mobile off their lists by creating apps. But now that the marketplace is crowded, many will take a step back and look at media-buying options instead. Google recognizes this; it's why they recently acquired AdMob, i.e., to get a corner on all that in-app content. Google will also build up their network of native app content by making development and deployment of ad-supported apps on their Android platform much easier than it currently is on the iPhone. This is all with the aim of more effectively extending it's AdSense platform to mobile.

Yes, you may say that consumers are obviously keen on micropayments for mobile content. They did, after all, spend $6.2 billion on apps this year, according to Gartner. But consumers are even more fond of free, and in 2010 one way Google will challenge the iPhone is by creating a competitive alternative business model for developers. And where good apps are, consumers go and dollars follow.

Most major carriers and handset manufacturers have multiple Android devices slated for 2010 launch dates, so expect Android's user-base to catch up to the iPhone's by the end of 2010. The web-based Android app store is a hurdle to the experience and doesn't come close to the experience of the iTunes' desktop app. If Google can fix this, then developers may start putting Android first on their product roadmaps.

4. Advertising's outdoor real estate is fast becoming another connected channel capable of delivering high-fidelity digital experiences as unique, varied and measurable as more well-established mediums.

Outdoor advertising has traditionally been very difficult to measure. People move past signs through various modes of conveyance at varying rates of speed making it difficult to know who actually notices a given media unit. Add line of sight and dwell time, and the problem is further compounded.

Digital out-of-home (DOOH) signage is changing all this, and mobile is becoming the key to true measurement and engagement. Using their handsets, once-passive viewers can actually interact with an ad now. For example, Toyota released an iPhone app that let users to draw on the Thompson-Reuters screen in Times Square. Nike's "Chalkbot" allowed cycling fans to have a robot stencil messages of support for Tour de France riders on the pavement via SMS or Twitter. Vans' "Be Here" allowed its users to submit video, photo, or text messages from any of the brand's online properties to be displayed on a digital billboard in Times Square.

In all of the previous examples, mobile served as the glue or connective tissue between outdoor and the web. Indeed, the real potential of DOOH is to blend the digital with the physical world in public spaces. It will also eventually allow advertisers to customize once-mass ads to specific individuals based on data that their phone can reveal about them.

5. Consumers have new power to express their opinions through social technologies from anywhere, anytime. Smart marketers will do all they can to encourage and act on this real-time feedback.

While the crowds may not always be wise, they sure are vocal, and mobile devices are their microphones. In unprecedented numbers, consumers are using mobile-enabled publishing platforms, mainly Twitter, to instantly share their thoughts about products, services and brands.

The best companies have started closing this loop by listening to and acting on consumer's feedback. Some are even creating dedicated apps and services to collect it. Taxihack is a service for commenting live on NYC taxi drivers. SeeClickFix and CitySourced both give users mobile applications for reporting things like potholes and graffiti while out on the town. AT&T recently used a similar tactic with an iPhone app, Mark the Spot, which crowdsources areas of weak reception.

Much of the power seen in these mobile applications is through context attached to consumer feedback. Universal Theatres relies on a SMS response system to test out trailers and gauge audience response during screenings. This in the moment feedback makes for a much more accurate representation of viewers true opinions.

Whether brands carve out a dedicated mobile channel or simply rely on Twitter customer service, we'll see more embracing the feedback loop. The challenge going forward will be an internal one, setting up efficient systems to make sure consumer feedback can be acted on and implemented once it's heard.

by CalebNovember 10, 2009

Twitter Announces Location-Based Trends with New API

twitter trendsmap

After many requests, Twitter is releasing a new "Trends API" that will provide developers with location-based trend data. While this will surely bring us some innovative products, it will also make those like Trendsmap all the more powerful. Soon we will be able to see what is going on around us. We will visualize the dominant conversations occurring within our city and even neighborhood, taking Foursquare's "tweets nearby" feature to the next level.

[via venturebeat]

by MBAugust 13, 2009

Trend Panel: Morning Transit Time, Music Time

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After querying our Trend Panelists about their entertainment choices for the beach, MobileBehavior sought some quick insights about their morning commutes. We asked panelists how they commuted to work, what they did during the trip, and what media/technologies they used to do so. We sent a short text message survey in the morning, hoping to catch them as close to their commutes as possible and reduce recall error.

Since our last survey showed that many brought a book or magazine to the beach, we wondered if this survey would show the same desire to disconnect en route to work. Not close. The overwhelming majority used an electronic gadget during their commutes.

Of the 28 panelists who partook in the survey, 20 said they listened to music. This was not too surprising given the pervasiveness of music in youths’ lives (you may remember that an iPod or mp3 player was the second most popular item that our panelists indicated they would take to the beach). Almost three quarters of those respondents used a handheld electronic gadget to do so, including an iPhone (six), iPod (six also, making Apple’s total representation 12), other cell phone (one), or other mp3 player (one). Another four panelists said they used another type of music player. As all of these panelists drove or took a taxi to their offices, we can guess that they listened to the car’s radio.

Every panelist who indicated they read on their way to work either rode a subway or train (which is great news considering the recent focus on distracted driving!). Four panelists indicated they read a book, with one using an eBook reader to do so. Rounding out the readers was one respondent who read a newspaper.

A couple of people used their time on commuter trains to catch up on some sleep (a dangerous game on a train unless you’re the last stop!), and one panelist communicated with a colleague on the way to the office. Given the video capabilities of so many laptops, cell phones and mp3 players, we were a bit surprised that not one panelist watched videos.

What do you do on the way to work? Click here to take our quick survey

by AlanAugust 12, 2009

The Next Big Thing in Mobile: 5 Trends We're Watching

future-tech

Last week I participated on a panel for the Commonwealth Club of California on Microsoft’s Mountain View campus called The Next Big Thing in Mobile. It was moderated by the very engaging Jon Fortt, Senior Writer, Technology for Fortune and included a diverse and talented group of wireless experts:

Glenn Lurie, President, Emerging Devices Organization, AT&T
• Tim Attinger, Global Head of Product Innovation and Development, Visa Inc.
Arun Bhikshesvaran, SVP, Multimedia and Infrastructure Solutions, Ericsson Inc.
Ali Diab, Vice President of Product Management, North America, AdMob
Peter Hoddie, Co-Founder and CEO, Kinoma

The panel was one of the best attended in Commonwealth Club history and based on the enthusiasm from the audience we could have kept going for hours. My experience at the event prompted me to take a moment to organize a few of the overarching mobile trends that Allison Mooney and the team at Next Great Thing/MobileBehavior have been writing about recently:

1. Socialization
Unlike the PC, which was driven by the needs of businesses, mobile has always been first and foremost a vehicle for socialization. You can really see this coming to life recently with the rise of "prescriptive social software" applications like Booyah and Foursquare that focus so heavily on socialization to drive user behavior and turn life into one big game.

2. Real-Time Mobile Activation
The mobile phone can seamlessly function as a mouse and make any location or out-of-home media instantly actionable. For young people, mobile is the bridge for digital to real-life in real-time. It sits at the center of their world and connects them back to social media, lifestreams, and all of their media. Recently we launched a program with Locamoda for Demi Lovato’s Summer Tour that illustrated this perfectly. The Wiffitti mobile social messaging application that we are using on the tour enables concert fans everywhere to interact and be part of our digital out-of-home media in real-time regardless of their location.

3. Branded Utility
Mobile applications, especially those on the iPhone, have now become the preferred mobile path for marketers. However, a mobile presence, even if it is an application, can be useless if it is not truly integrated into a larger mobile plan. So, to stay relevant and be successful via mobile, brands must become useful. One way to do this is through branded utility--focusing on enhancing “this moment” and creating a continuous 2-way brand-to-consumer, consumer-to-brand value chain that evolves via consuming, activating, and sharing. Zagat’s new augmented reality application is a great example of this as they are effectively using AR to enhance and encourage participation with the restaurant search experience in real-time.

4. ME Advertising
Mobile is ushering in the dawn of “ME” advertising that is proximate and personal. Search is no longer fueled by code, but by like-minded users and friends who act as curators. This is creating an entirely new brand value chain, ROI and branded messaging via mobile that is rapidly becoming a real-time endorsement channel. We can already see this starting to take-off through real-time search services like BingTweets, Collecta, and OneRiot.

5. Mobile Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing is destined to become the standard for mobile phones, and while devices today are still relying on their internal memory and CPU capacity, all of this is rapidly transitioning to the web. Google’s investment into Chrome and their move onto campuses, along with Apple sales, presages a future for mobile where software will matter more than the device itself.  When applied to mobile, Cloud Computing is ushering in a new future for Internet-based computing. It will allows for increased collaboration through open APIs, and access to research, analysis, mobile marketing services, and software services without investing in IT. Going forward, this will enable a true focus on the customer and the brand, not on the technology.

by MBAugust 7, 2009

Staff Picks: Falling Stars, Virtual Girlfriends, Facebook Art, Mobile Watch and More

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Matthew

Celebrities Going Down

For many Americans, perhaps the only thing more fascinating than watching celebrities’ daily actions and clinging to their every move, is watching them fail… miserably. There is some inconceivable desire among many to witness a falling star, often at their lowest moment.

In the final week of July, 2-time NBA all-star, 2004 Olympian and former New York Knick Stephon Marbury decided to do a 24 hour live broadcast of his life on Justin.tv. What ensued was an absolute circus, culminating in Marbury breaking down in tearful hysterics as gospel music played in the background. The video became viral immediately (it currently has over 300,000 views), as people clamored to witness the unraveling of a once prominent man.

Last night at a concert in South Dakota, a video captured rock front man legend Steve Tyler of Aerosmith fall off stage while attempting a dance move. 6,000 people have already viewed the video (which was posted last night) that resulted in Tyler being helicoptered to the hospital for back and neck injuries. Celebrities used to have their fame celebrated because of their accomplishments and talents. Now it appears that any display of humanity, and more specifically failure, can bring just as much attention.

Tristan

SocialSafe and Amamiya Momo

Ever worry that your Facebook profile would crash, disappear, or be deleted? Quelling those fears is SocialSafe, a desktop app that enables backup to your computer of your profile, friends, albums, and any picture you've been tagged in.

After backing up your "social life", you probably need a "girlfriend." Say 'konnichiha' to Amamiya Momo, your virtual iPhone girlfriend. Thanks to GPS she gets made when you are out and it acts cute when you stay in. Of course she has various outfits depending on the time of day, and acts differently on Christmas or Valentine's day.

You can also pet her head, touch her cheek, and... lift her skirt.

Andrea F.

Apple Love

I chose this article as a testament of Apple’s reputation. They are consistently looked at as the company to develop the “next great thing”. With their profits soaring they can invest all the dollars they want into product research ensuring that they will always be at the head of the technology class.

Reming

Fine Art Meets SNS Art

Once reserved for royals and aristocracy, commissioning a painting of yourself is now as easy as sending a message over Facebook. When artist Matt Held decided to fine tune his brush skills by painting Facebook photos of his friends and family, word got out and nearly 4,000 profile pic loving users requested their own portraits. He now has over 50 paintings and if you live in the NYC area, you can check out some of them at Platform Project Space in Manhattan from September 10 - October 3, 2009.

Andrea D.

Rollip

Ahh, Polaroids, the crutch of casting calls and the picture of nostalgia for so many. After Polaroid announced they were discontinuing their film, one of my friends began stocking up on it whenever he came across it, just to make sure he would never be without.

And while rollip.com may not be very comforting to him, I still think it’s pretty cool. You can upload photos to the site and alter them to look Polaroid-esque. OK, it’s not the real thing--or even close, really--but it’s better than nothing, right?

Michael

LG Gd910

I realize the LG GD910 is mostly novelty. I mean, please, how would I get my keys out of my pocket wearing that clunker? The cost would put me on Papaya King hot dog diet for three months, and I require just a tad more interface room. But, we’re getting somewhere. Keep pushing your R&D LG! I’ll be waiting in my skinny jeans.

Allison

Brand Graphs

Trendrr's platform lets you track the popularity and awareness of trends based on web data, charting it as a time series. I just discovered their "brands" section, which shows graphs of online buzz about companies. There are lots of potential applications here--product launches (Palm Pre), campaigns (Cisco), name changes (Sci Fi versus SyFy) and product popularity (eBay auctions of PS3 vs XBox 360 vs Wii) to name a few.

by MBJuly 1, 2009

International Innovation in Mobile

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In this economy, it’s important to stick to what’s been proven while still thinking outside of traditional ROI models.

This is why its often a useful exercise to look at new technologies and techniques in action abroad -- to see what worked, what didn't, and what might translate overseas. The “International Innovation in Mobile” session at the Mobile Marketing Forum earlier this month attempted to do just this, highlighting emerging ideas and trends abroad.

Panelists Harald Neidhardt, CEO and co-founder of SmaatoFederico Pisani Massamormile, CEO of Hanzo and Alberto Benbunan of Mobile Dreams Factory spoke about campaigns happeningaround the world, including:

  • Coca-Cola Videogoals
    Launched in Spain, this mobile campaign allowed users to follow the action of their favorite soccer teams. When a goal was scored, a 3D animated MMS of that goal was sent to all users following that particular team. People registered for their favorite team on the dedicated Coca-Cola portal and then received MMS in almost real time and totally free of charge.
  • Your Moment of Fame
    This campaign, sponsored by Sony Ericsson and implemented by Mediaedge and BHI Comunicacion, allowed residents of Madrid to send picture messages to designated stands throughout the city. Users sent a picture of themselves or their friends and family, and it appeared on the billboards inside the screen of a SE W880i. At the reserved times, all the ad stands changed to feature the user’s photo, turning anyone who participated into an instant celebrity.
  • Half-Priced Mini
    Customers in the market for a Mini-Cooper were able to customize their dream car on their mobile device for the chance to win it for half the price. Those who entered but did not win were still allowed to use the car for the entire weekend at no cost.

When looking for some inspiration, it's always fun to look at Japan, where 102 million people have mobile phones and 4 out of every 5 mobile users are on a 3G network. According to Kei Shimada, founder and CEO of Infinita, about one-third of mobile users are also on “all-you-can-eat” plans, opening up the possibility for usage based applications and realistic lifestyle functionality. In Japan, mobile is the focal point of a significant portion of day-to-day activity including job searches, weather and news information, concierge capabilities, transactions with vendors (i.e. mobile wallets) and 3D navigation that’s so advanced it can even tell users which route will offer the most overhead coverage in the rain.

No two countries are alike, of course, and so a deep understanding of the target market is absolutely essential. And due to the constantly evolving nature of the mobile platform, building a successful mobile strategy and presence requires an understanding of what is now, what might be tomorrow, and how users shift their mobile habits to their connected lifestyles. Finding that balance will continue to be the most effective way to innovate in the mobile landscape in 2009.

-Andrea Duchon

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