The Economist debuts iPad, iPhone app for subscribers

The Economist is letting digital and print subscribers fully access its iPad and iPhone application as well as get a weekly sample of articles chosen specifically by the editor.

Users who do not have a subscription can purchase full issues of the publication via in-application purchases each week. Once a user downloads an issue, they can read the newspaper in full without an Internet connection.

“We want our readers to be able to read us wherever and however they want, and for an increasing number of people that means via a digital device,” said Oscar Grut, managing director of digital editions at The Economist, London.

“People who read their news and analysis on mobile digital devices will be attracted to the greater variety of ways to enjoy The Economist – on your iPad, on your iPhone, in audio, online, on Kindle and on Zinio – as well as in print, of course, where our circulation has grown every year for the last 30 years at least,” he said.

“Our goal with the iPad and iPhone apps is to deliver the same Economist content, in the same weekly package as print, through this new medium. We have redesigned the newspaper completely to make the most of the devices, while retaining that Economist feel – and like in print, it's free from distractions.”

AgaveApps built the iPhone application and TigerSpike built the iPad application for The Economist.

Each issue features a full audio edition, with all articles read by professional newscasters.

“We decided to integrate our popular audio edition into both apps, with all articles from the print edition read by professional newscasters, and synced to each article,” Mr. Grut said. “This lets readers switch easily between reading and listening to our articles.

“We did this because is struck us that audio is such a natural fit for portable digital devices, particularly the iPhone and iPod Touch,” he said.

The Economist is getting the word out about their new applications by putting promotional cover wraps on all issues, emailing news of the launch to subscribers and other contacts and its regional teams are also planning regional campaigns.

Mobile reading
Currently, users can read the publication in print, online, on iPhone, iPad, Kindle and Zinio.

The company is talking with other potential platform partners and looking at new platforms on launch on, including Android and BlackBerry.

“Our print circulation has continued to increase despite the turmoil in some parts of the print industry,” Mr. Grut said. “Our readers have, until now, generally preferred The Economist in print, but that is changing dramatically with tablets and smartphones, which are perfect for reading and listening to our kind of publication.

“This is one of the very exciting aspects of our apps,” he said. “We are obsessed, first and foremost, with creating elegant applications that deliver a wonderful, immersive reading experience to our customers,” he said. “I think we have succeeded in this mission.

“And by grabbing our readers' attention in this way, we offer a unique advertising opportunity to our clients to reach an engaged audience with beautiful full screen ads and rich media advertising.”

BMW Launches First User-Generated iAd

BMW of North America is running the first user-generated iAD promoting the launch of the BMW X3. The focus of the ad plays off of BMW's built-to-order program for the new car. Essentially viewers - like actual customers - imagine their dream car and then build it. While the next step in this process for paying customers is to have their customized BMW delivered to their driveway, viewers get a virtual road test of their custom designed car. Each “dream car” in the ad was selected from real submissions on the BMW USA Facebook page.

The 'shake' feature on iPhone and iPod touch lets users to browse the dreams - all riffs on how the car will change a life - as well as the X3 color options. Viewers then submit their own dream, which can then be shared with the BMW community through the iAd. They have the X3's 70 million unique configurations on the iAd to play with starting with colors and wheels that can be changed, the vehicle's angle, interior options, and even the environment, which can move from a cityscape to mountains. Viewers then drive their cars by browsing video content and downloading images from a gallery of hi-res wallpapers.

Once they have had their fun with the iAd, the viewer taps the close button and returns to the app they were using.

Rocky Start

The first several months of iAd’s launch has been characterized by some great media play, and then quiet, behind-the-scenes disgruntlement on the part of some advertisers. Of the 17 ad partners that launched with the iAd in June, only two - Unilever and Nissan - had iAd campaigns running for much of July. These reasons have included the tight control Apple is keeping over the creative process which has added weeks to the process. Then there is the expense - $1 million a package - that has no doubt deterred more advertisers from signing up, at least until the results of these early adopters become clear. Apple has also worried some companies with its insistence of keeping control of the customer relationship and its stinginess with analytics information.

Compelled

Marketers, though, are forging ahead with the iAd, with BMW being the latest example. One namely, is that the click through rates and other engagement metrics are much higher than compared to other online ad formats. A Nissan spokeswoman told the Wall Street Journal that its iAd "has driven exceptional results to date" with the rate of users tapping on the banner five times the click-through-rate of the online campaign.

Kraft Foods supports no-mobile-left-behind strategy for brand push

REDMOND, WA – During a presentation at a Microsoft workshop, an agency executive at Meredith Corp.’s The Hyperfactory revealed how Kraft Foods Inc. integrates mobile into its overall strategy to drive acquisition, engagement, brand support and product trial among high-value target consumers.

When formulating its multichannel strategy, Kraft’s planning and preparation is geared toward consumers’ shopping behavior and driving them in-store with its brand top of mind. Its mobile initiatives include a mobile Web site, 2D bar codes, SMS programs in English and Spanish, mobile coupons, applications for various smartphone platforms and Apple’s iPad, as well as mobile advertising and sponsorships.

“Kraft, a CPG mass-market client with a great history, touches all of our lives in many different ways, and it has looked at the mobile channel holistically and integrated it into everything it does,” said Geoffrey Handley, cofounder of The Hyperfactory, New York.

“The brand has covered everything from a technology perspective and from a business objective perspective and asked ‘How do we integrate mobile?’ he said.

“Kraft is incorporating mobile calls-to-action on packaging—whether it is an SMS keyword and short code or 2D bar codes—various apps—one for recipes, one for moms and one for kids. There’s a huge the amount of stuff that they’ve done in mobile, all based on the no-mobile-left-behind principle.

The Kraft Big Fork Little Fork iPad app went live in the App Store in June
“That’s at the top of everything we do with them—‘This is the consumers’ channel of communication, and we are not going to alienate someone because they have a different type of phone’—and they’ve seen fantastic returns on their mobile investment.”

Headquartered in Northfield, IL, Kraft Foods is the largest food and beverage marketer nationwide. It markets many brands in more than 155 countries.

Eleven of the Kraft brands annually earn more than $1 billion worldwide: Kraft, Cadbury, Oscar Mayer, Maxwell House, Nabisco, Oreo, Philadelphia Creme Cheese, Jacobs, Milka, LU and Trident.

Kraft is sponsoring the Better Homes and Garden mobile site

Start with idea, not tech
When helping Kraft formulate its objective lead strategy, Mr. Handley stressed that the idea should drive the marketing program, not the technology. It is important to be technology-agnostic to cast the widest net and reach the most consumers.

In addition, it is not just about the activation—always ask what about the engagement? What happens when consumers get to the experience?

When looking at how mobile fits in with all of a brand’s touchpoints, keep in mind the core CRM initiatives and how mobile can be used to attain scale and inspire loyalty.

Brands should look to support as many mobile platforms as possible to get that scale.

Mobile is becoming increasingly social and vice versa. Mr. Handley dubbed the trend “mo-cial.”

Key objectives for any marketer are driving purchase intent and influencing purchase decisions while consumers are in store. Mobile is a key medium marketers can use to reach those objectives.

Brands, especially those with the resources of Kraft, must not be too timid, but rather focus on innovation to stay ahead of competitors. Marketers can do so much more in the mobile space than just simple banners that drive to a landing page.

Seven pillars of Kraft's mobile strategy
Mr. Handley shared seven pillars of Kraft Foods' mobile strategy for this year and next:

No. 1: Leverage mobile to support the brand’s core CRM strategy in content creation and distribution across all channels.

No. 2: Integrate mobile into loyalty, scale and advocacy programs.

No. 3: Create a portfolio of compelling mobile content platforms ranging from the simple and inspirational to the deep and functional.

No. 4: Launch mobile-social tools and experiences to tie mobile and digital CRM.

No. 5: Achieve reach and scale—no mobile left behind.

No. 6: Own personalized mobile purchase cycle and in-store experience—from inspiration to purchase.

No. 7: Place clever innovation bets to be ahead of the game—next-generation technology platforms and creative campaigns.

“What you end up with Kraft is a completely different mobile experience based on who you are,” Mr. Handley said.

“The iFood Assistant iPhone app has gotten a ton of downloads and a lot of attention, but most people don’t realize that it is also available for BlackBerry, Symbian, Android and Windows Phone 7, as well as the mobile Web," he said.

“Kraft has mobile properties in English, French, Spanish, et cetera, with different content for those different audiences and those different target groups. The Spanish version of the mobile Web site is the most used version, but there is no Spanish language app.

“The stats dictated that the mobile Web was the way to go a year ago, but that’s already changed—we’re not going with an iPhone app, but we’re looking to support other platforms that Hispanics use more."

Mobile Browsers Do It In The Evening

Adfonic, the European-based global mobile advertising marketplace, says that advertisers could be missing out on a growing mobile audience during the evening.

An analysis of Adfonic’s real-time hourly click patterns reveals that traffic starts to build from around 6pm and continues to rise throughout the evening, before peaking at midnight.

It also appears that the early morning offers potential for mobile advertisers, as an increasing number of people wake up and immediately spend time surfing the net on their smartphones. Both of these peaks in smartphone traffic coincide with dips in online traffic, traditionally seen as dead times for online advertising, revealing a clear opportunity for advertisers to reach incremental audiences through mobile.

“Analysis of our data shows that among iPhone, iPad and other smartphone traffic, there is a growth in ‘sofa’ and ‘bed’ surfing, as users switch from TV watching to mobile browsing in the commercial breaks or between programmes,” says Adfonic CMO, Paul Childs. “Many seem to prefer their smartphone, to engage with social media or to download apps for example, to a good book when they go to bed.”

Adfonic’s analysis also reveals that most smartphone users connect over wi-fi in the evenings rather than via their cellular data connection. This is reflected in a high level of app downloads. The same is not true during a smaller surfing peak through the morning commuter period, however, where app downloads are lower, due to the lack of a good connection.

“It appears that most brands are still missing a trick and are yet to tap into the full advertising potential of mobile,” says Childs. “As people switch off from TV advertising and spend less of the evening in front of a PC, the smartphone and tablet devices like the iPad are becoming the media of choice for spontaneous internet access. They also open up exciting new opportunities to cross-link TV and online campaigns with mobile devices and content, and the possibility to engage more effectively with consumers through richer mobile ad units.”

Adfonic’s real-time reporting and analytics is also able to map clicks across the UK, and reveals that contrary to popular opinion, iPhone, Android and iPad penetration is not confined to the London area. Adfonic’s figures show usage is now nationwide, with heavy concentrations around all major urban conurbations.

“What is clear from this research is that smartphone and tablet devices are changing the habits of the digital audience,” adds Childs. “As well as immediate and constant online access, they allow consumers to interact with brands in new ways that TV and laptops simply cannot compete with. The opportunity for advertisers to reach and engage with new audiences is huge and offers great potential for the mobile industry to leverage.”

Having launched just over a year ago, Adfonic now has over 2,000 publishers within its network, generating earnings from an average of 3,000 live ad campaigns per month, including major advertiser brands such as Yell.com, Peugeot and Sky. Adfonic says the number of ad impressions served through its network is set to reach 2bn per month over the next quarter.

What Steve Did in the UK

The Business published a very interesting article on the introduction of the iPhone in the UK

The article states; "Think of the possibilities, the Vodafone executives said. You’re walking down the high street and your iPhone – complete with tracking system to pin down your location and armed with a profile of your shopping preferences – alerts you to a special offer in the shop just ahead of you. It would be the ultimate in targeted advertising – or as critics would put it, the ultimate Big Brother intrusion."

The iPhone could debut in Britain as early as next month – on a Tuesday, the day favoured by Apple for its launches – with O2, owned by Spain’s Telefonica, likely to be the exclusive network provider (as AT&T is in America). It would sell for between £250 ($503, e370) and £399. An October launch would ensure the product is on sale in time for the crucial build-up to Christmas; some have suggested a November launch, which would be a blow to Apple.

Read the full article here

iPhone Tops SmartPhone Sales in June

The iPhone has leaped past its competitors to become the best-selling smartphone on the market in July, its first full month of sale, according to Reuters.

The iPhone accounted for 1.8 percent of all US mobile handsets during the month. Those most likely to buy the iPhone were male, over 35, with a college degree, according to iSupply.

Further, a quarter who bought the iPhone switched to operator AT&T, which has an exclusive contract with the phone.

Apple's two models beat out Research in Motion's Blackberry series, the entire Palm offering, and any individual smartphone model by Nokia, Samsung, or Motorola.

What's more, it also tied the current top-selling "feature phone" — or phones with features like mp3 and camera capabilities — LG's Chocolate. An analyst from iSupply said the iPhone is historic in that it competes with both smart- and feature phones, making it a "crossover phone."

ISuppli estimates that the iPhone will sell 4.5 million iPhones this year, and 30 million by 2011.

Harper Collins Goes Mobile With Book Excerpts

Book publisher Harper Collins has created a mobile-friendly site for iPhone users, reports The Associated Press.

Mobile.harpercollins.com features excerpts from over a dozen of the publisher's newest releases. The excerpts were made possible because Harper Collins has spent time digitizing over 10,000 of its titles.

Facebook Goes Mobile on Apple iPhone

Facebook is launching a mobile version that works on the Apple iPhone. The new mobile edition of the social-networking site will allow users to access and update profiles, track friends, and find maps and driving directions for events scheduled on Facebook.

Red Herring has published a more detailed story here.

Talk of Cheaper iPhone Sets Apple Stock on Cloud 9

Shortly after speculation from a JP Morgan analyst that Apple would go Nano with the iPhone, shares of Apple leaped 1.5 percent to $134.50 from its 52-week high of $133.34 from Friday, according to The Globe and Mail.

Apple's stock has already jumped 40 percent in the months between announcement of the iPhone and its June 29 release. Recently, a patent filing disclosed by the US Patent and Trademark Office lent fuel to rampant rumors that Apple would follow the hype-ridden, but costly, item with a smaller and less expensive "iPhone Nano."

The patent application was filed in November and describes a multifunctional, iPhone-like handheld device.

Other analysts at JP Morgan told investors last Tuesday that Nano iPhone speculation could not be confirmed.

iPhone Users Gain Access to YouTube

CUPERTINO, June 21: Users of Apple’s soon-to-be-launched iPhone will be able to access YouTube content directly on their handsets.

Set to be released June 29, the iPhone will feature YouTube content wirelessly streamed to the device, which features a 3.5-inch display. Over 10,000 videos will be available on June 29, and YouTube will be adding more each week until its full catalog of videos is available this fall.

In addition, Apple announced that YouTube is now live on Apple TV, which streams content directly from a computer’s iTunes library to a widescreen TV.

“iPhone delivers the best YouTube mobile experience by far,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Now users can enjoy YouTube wherever they are—on their iPhone, on their Mac or on a widescreen TV in their living room with Apple TV.”

iPhone Likely to be Delayed Again

In a statement last week, Apple said that it has moved some of its personnel away from its newest version of Mac OS X, Leopard, to the team working on the June launch of the iPhone, reports Business Week.

Various iPhone suppliers have been told that the iPhone may not be available until the end of June, and Apple is stated as saying the iPhone "contains the most sophisticated software ever shipped on a mobile device," which hints at problems stemming from the complexity of the device.

Apple hopes customers will use iPhone for online purchases, so Apple must be sure the phone is not prone to hacker attacks. "They don't want it to be a version 1.0 of the iPhone, but version 4.9," Richard Doherty of Envisioneering Group said. "Apple wants to get it right the first time."

Another issue may come from the battery life. The phone will tout two batteries: one for the phone and the other for the music player. The phone battery would have to power a huge screen, Wi-Fi network connections, and many other power-hungry features.