Tag archives: 3

MSN kills the SMS

In Austria, MSN and the mobile operator 3 are running an co-marketing campaign featuring the message “SMS ist tot – MSN am Handy lebt” (which means, SMS is dead - MSN on the mobile is alive). As you can quite easily understand, the goal of the effort is to make young users understand the potentials of instant messaging via mobile using the MSN application, and of course, the same MSN passport identity used on the web. Even if site homepage looks gloomy but nice, the site hasn’t got much to offer when it comes to interactivity: a very basic advergame (click “spiel”) which, strangely enough, is not even connected to a competition.

File under: 3, austria, msn, online campaign

It’s time for mobile video advertising

In the UK, 3G operator 3, owned by Hutchison, is about to become the world’s first operator to sell airtime on its own network to advertisers. Unfortunately the article on Media Guardian (free reg.) doesn’t clearly say what exactly 3 is going to do. One possibility is that they will offer free downloadable ads to their clients This idea has already been successfully tested with Apple iPod ads, which generated 160.000 downloads in a week. Mobile video advertising clearly opens interesting opportunities for viral videos delivered mobile phones, althought pricing and/or the business model still remain a big question to be answered. Who should pay for downloadable mobile ads? Branded content, should be free, but when it comes to mobile phones, free is a word that almost doesn’t exist, especially with carriers always wanting to share revenues.

File under: 3, mobile video advertising, mobile viral, uk

The ads of the 3(G) generation

In the United Kingdom, 3G carrier Hutchinson has announced it will start offering mobile video ads. As a good article by Mike Masnick on The Feature points out, the benefits of this service are, for now, questionable both, for advertisers and for subscribers. The first video to watch will be the trailer of the new British cult film “It’s all gone Pete Tong” but it will be available only to the first 100,000 customers. Furthermore it’s curious to read the trailer can be watched “for free”. Are we now expected to pay for advertising?

File under: 3, Hutchinson, mobile video ads

The 10-seconds Film Festival

3 Lomo is world’s first 10-seconds Film Festival, dedicated to MMS videomessages. Organized by mobile carrier 3 (Drei the festival is currently taking place in Austria.

File under: 3, mobile film festival

3: money for nothing?

Everytime I see an new 3′s campaign I can’t help asking myself: why are they wasting their money like this? They keep on signing up celebrities who apparently can’t live without making video calls. As it often happens for tv ads in my country, the spots are simply pathetic. In the tv campaign launched this week (read more on Pubblicit� Italia), 3 has invested 30 million Euros, which is an enormous amount of money to promote a service which is actually not yet available in most Italian zones. Wouldn’t it be better to invest in improving the infrastructure instead of trying to gain immediately disappointed customers?

File under: 3, advertising

3 to deliver Sky Sport’s videos

Sky Sports and mobile operator 3 have signed a video content partnership deal that will allow subscribers to watch sport bulletins directly from their cellular phone. The news is reported by The Register which also comments that the deal is an attempt to revitalise 3′s football content channel which isn’t performing very well at the moment.

File under: 3, mobile video content, sky

Videogames’ reviews on your mobile

3 announced the launch of a mobile content service with Gamer.tv to provide video reviews of the latest video games. 3G Newsroom reports that the video clips will be exclusively designed for use on 3′s video mobiles and can be accessed through ‘Today on 3′, the interactive mobile news and entertainment channel. Chris Noone, Director of Business Development, Gamer.tv commented:

“This service allows 3′s customers to access timely and relevant games reviews when and where they need them, especially in-store when considering which computer game to buy. It puts the power to make informed decisions in the customer’s hand, quite literally”

File under: 3, game reviews, mobile game reviews

Wireless video for Rugby fans

Rugby fans will be able to follow the 6 Nations rugby tournament on their video mobiles. Throughout its UK network, 3 will offer video news, live scores and SMS text alerts, accessible from a new Rugby Union home- page. (Read more in a press release.) Again, we see networks taking advantage of sports events to promote wireless video services. The more popular the content, the easier getting people’s attention on new available services. Let’s just get ready for the European Football Championship this June…

File under: 3, 6 nations rugby, wireless video content

Worst campaigns of all time

In a forum on Brand Republic I’ve found an excellent thread talking about the worst campaigns of all time. The discussion is interesting, people is quoting Ford, Hoovers and DaimlerChrysler with Celine Dion. I can think about 3: in december 2002 the launched an impressive campaign in Italy, but they didn’t have any shop or retailer ready to sell their products. They were good in building curiosity, but they didn’t give people the possibility to actually buy the product, so potential customers lost their interest and soon forgot about 3′s offer. A true waste of money.

File under: 3, ford, hoovers, worst campaign