Adidas, Dragonair, Estée Lauder, Peninsula Hotel and Pizza Hut, as well as media brands Cartoon Network and CNN from Turner, are developing marketing programmes for a new software due to be launched this month.
The software will enable owners of GPRS and 3G phones to browse advertiser WAP sites through their phones without having to pay any charges to the mobile phone operators. These fees will be paid instead by the advertiser, based on the number of times people use the software to access the site.
The software will enable owners of GPRS and 3G phones to browse advertiser WAP sites through their phones without having to pay any charges to the mobile phone operators. These fees will be paid instead by the advertiser, based on the number of times people use the software to access the site.
Eunice Wong, marketing director for Pizza Hut, said the new software also makes it much easier for users to browse WAP sites, effectively removing another major obstacle for this kind of mobile marketing. "We did try putting up a WAP site before, but because it was not user-friendly we did not get a lot of response," she said.
At the time of going to press, the software, called MyClick, was compatible with more than 40 phone models, representing around 600,000 users in Hong Kong, although the software owner, iMagic Systems, plans to expand this to 2.5 million users by year-end covering 120 phone models. Hong Kong marks a global debut for MyClick, which hopes to start rolling out in mainland China before the end of the year with an eye on launch in the UK in 2007.
The project is supported by all six of Hong Kong's major mobile operators, who will send out SMS messages to 500,000 of their customers to promote the new software.
After downloading the software, users will be entitled to access daily headline news provided by CNN, free content downloads from Cartoon Network and free downloadable buy-one-get-one-free coupons and mobile phone games from Pizza Hut.
Users can also join a lucky draw for prizes including Dragonair tickets and annual air passes, mobile phones, cosmetics, hotel packages and sports goods and clothing.
MyClick works on similar lines to QR codes currently deployed in Japan and Taiwan, where users use their camera phones to take a picture of a special symbol, giving them online access to a special WAP site.
Rather than a symbol, however, MyClick software recognises a special frame studded with stars that advertisers can use as a border for an image.
"It is up to advertisers to come up with new, innovative ideas to stimulate people to take action," said SmarTone-Vodafone CEO Douglas Li. "If we work together, we can then create a wave of adoption and understanding."
