Spam may be coming to your wireless gizmo soon

Associated Press

PARIS — At its best, marketing executives say, it’s a direct way to target people from sports fans to chocolate lovers to business travelers with information they want.

At its worst, it’s wireless spam.

Throughout Europe, advertisers and marketers are turning to cell phone text dispatches to get their message across. When people get a pitch, their phones beep. But they can open a message when they feel like it — and decide whether to delete it instantly or read it.

In Britain, for example, Short Message Service has been used to promote everything from Cadbury chocolates to the "Harry Potter" film. The marketing technique, which often involves sweepstakes or electronic coupons, is also popular in parts of Asia.

In Europe, short messages are big business, representing more than 10 percent of mobile revenues. Most of the money comes from quick text messages sent between friends or colleagues. The service was unexpectedly popular — and quickly led the marketing industry to figure out ways to cash in.

A Forrester Research study released in January polled 205 direct marketers in Europe and found that 36 percent have already tried phone message marketing. Some 32 percent hadn’t but planned to.

At a conference on wireless communications in Cannes this week, Israeli company Starhome showed off how it can help operators target business travelers: Many attendees at the 3GSM World Congress saw a welcome message pop up on their phone when they arrived in the French Riviera resort.

Starhome technology helps operators detect when a caller’s cell phone is "roaming" — essentially, when it’s away from home. Once the network knows you’re in town, it can guess who you are and send you information about what to do there.

"If you’re arriving in midweek, you’re probably a business traveler, and you’ll probably want information about taxis, restaurants and hotels," said Assaf Benjamin, marketing and strategy manager. The company has agreements with nearly 30 operators, including Vodafone.

Many of the mobile phone campaigns are sweepstakes. Britain’s Cadbury, for example, printed candy wrappers advertising more than $1.4 million in prizes for people willing to hand over their mobile number. The company got a response for about 8 percent of the candy bars. Also in Britain, Carlsberg, the beer brand, encouraged soccer lovers to send mobile messages to win a free pint during a World Cup qualifying match.

Flytxt, a British wireless marketing company, was behind both campaigns.

Some campaigns offer digital coupons if people sign up their cell phone numbers on the Internet or send a message to the advertiser. Often, they get something in exchange. People who sign up for alerts at the Australian Web site www.blueskyfrog.com, for example, can download catchy ring tones.

In many cases, customers must show interest in a product before they get ads or coupons for it.

But many messages are unsolicited and some are considered offensive by many — such as ads for adult telephone chat. Sometimes, people get text messages that say "call me," with a phone number attached.

People call, thinking a friend left the message, only to find themselves connected to a phone sex line that is running up charges.

Some companies are careful never to send out unsolicited ads.

Flytxt, for example, runs only campaigns that are permission-based, and it helped start a British forum on standards for the wireless marketing industry.

There is little mobile marketing in the United States, probably because text messages are still fairly unknown there. Still, they’re catching on fast: Officials at Cingular Wireless, for example, say they’ve seen text message traffic increase by 450 percent in the last six months.

Once messaging catches up, mobile marketing might follow quickly.

"Coupons are something all Americans are familiar with," said Hilit Koppel of RegiSoft, an Israeli company that provides the technology for mobile ad campaigns, and had its services on display in Cannes. "They love coupons, especially when times are tough."

Copyright ©2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

A closing sign hangs above the entrance of the Big Lots at Evergreen and Madison on Monday, July 22, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Big Lots announces it will shutter Everett and Lynnwood stores

The Marysville store will remain open for now. The retailer reported declining sales in the first quarter of the year.

George Montemor poses for a photo in front of his office in Lynnwood, Washington on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.  (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Despite high mortgage rates, Snohomish County home market still competitive

Snohomish County homes priced from $550K to $850K are pulling in multiple offers and selling quickly.

Henry M. Jackson High School’s robotic team, Jack in the Bot, shake hands at the 2024 Indiana Robotics Invitational.(Henry M. Jackson High School)
Mill Creek robotics team — Jack in the Bot — wins big

Henry M. Jackson High School students took first place at the Indiana Robotic Invitational for the second year in a row.

The computer science and robotics and artificial intelligence department faculty includes (left to right) faculty department head Allison Obourn; Dean Carey Schroyer; Ishaani Priyadarshini; ROBAI department head Sirine Maalej and Charlene Lugli. PHOTO: Arutyun Sargsyan / Edmonds College.
Edmonds College to offer 2 new four-year degree programs

The college is accepting applications for bachelor programs in computer science as well as robotics and artificial intelligence.

FILE — Boeing 737 MAX8 airplanes on the assembly line at the Boeing plant in Renton, Wash., on March 27, 2019. Boeing said on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, that it was shaking up the leadership in its commercial airplanes unit after a harrowing incident last month during which a piece fell off a 737 Max 9 jet in flight. (Ruth Fremson/The New York Times)
Federal judge rejects Boeing’s guilty plea related to 737 Max crashes

The plea agreement included a fine of up to $487 million and three years of probation.

Neetha Hsu practices a command with Marley, left, and Andie Holsten practices with Oshie, right, during a puppy training class at The Everett Zoom Room in Everett, Washington on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Tricks of the trade: New Everett dog training gym is a people-pleaser

Everett Zoom Room offers training for puppies, dogs and their owners: “We don’t train dogs, we train the people who love them.”

Andy Bronson/ The Herald 

Everett mayor Ray Stephenson looks over the city on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2015 in Everett, Wa. Stephanson sees  Utah’s “housing first” model – dealing with homelessness first before tackling related issues – is one Everett and Snohomish County should adopt.

Local:issuesStephanson

Shot on: 1/5/16
Economic Alliance taps former Everett mayor as CEO

Ray Stephanson will serve as the interim leader of the Snohomish County group.

Molbak's Garden + Home in Woodinville, Washington will close on Jan. 28. (Photo courtesy of Molbak's)
After tumultuous year, Molbak’s is being demolished in Woodinville

The beloved garden store closed in January. And a fundraising initiative to revitalize the space fell short.

Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin, Advanced Manufacturing Skills Center executive director Larry Cluphf, Boeing Director of manufacturing and safety Cameron Myers, Edmonds College President Amit Singh, U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, and Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, July 2 celebrating the opening of a new fuselage training lab at Paine Field. Credit: Arutyun Sargsyan / Edmonds College
‘Magic happens’: Paine Field aerospace center dedicates new hands-on lab

Last month, Edmonds College officials cut the ribbon on a new training lab — a section of a 12-ton Boeing 767 tanker.

Gov. Jay Inslee presents CEO Fredrik Hellstrom with the Swedish flag during a grand opening ceremony for Sweden-based Echandia on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Swedish battery maker opens first U.S. facility in Marysville

Echandia’s marine battery systems power everything from tug boats to passenger and car ferries.

Helion Energy CEO and co-founder David Kirtley talks to Governor Jay Inslee about Trenta, Helion’s 6th fusion prototype, during a tour of their facility on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
State grants Everett-based Helion a fusion energy license

The permit allows Helion to use radioactive materials to operate the company’s fusion generator.

People walk past the new J.sweets storefront in Alderwood Mall on Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Japanese-style sweets shop to open in Lynnwood

J. Sweets, offering traditional Japanese and western style treats opens, could open by early August at the Alderwood mall.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.