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Singapore: Commercial and Social Mobile Applications
Overview
The Death of Static Advertising
Amidst the advertising clutter, it is becoming increasingly tough for advertisements to stand out; advertising is just not breaking through. Thus, businesses and advertisers have to re-think the way they reach their target audience. One way they can achieve this reach is through mobile marketing. The evolution of the mobile phone from a bulky device with only basic functions to a palm-sized one with multiple functions has made it an indispensable, permanent fixture in many people’s lives.
The Evolution of the Mobile Phone
The mobile phone has not just evolved in itself (in terms of size and functional capabilities), but it has also changed opportunities for businesses and advertisers who are looking for new ways to engage their target audience. Previously, during the era of only-traditional media, this target group’s movements were under the radar and so, difficult for businesses and advertisers to opportunistically pick up, and monetize. However, with today’s wireless network permeating all space, the target audience’s movements have become more salient, and this has profound implications for advertisers.
1. Proximity / Bluetooth Marketing
Advertisers in many countries are already using the mobile phone as the tool for ‘proximity marketing’. For instance, in 2007, movie trailers were sent via Bluetooth to mobile phones in the vicinity of the box office at Lido Cineplex, Singapore. This gave a boost of 3% in top line box office sales in March, within one month of launch. Similarly, Citibank Singapore, in a near-field communications trial in 2008, provided 1000 randomly selected customers with RFID-enabled mobile phones. These customers then downloaded coupons from selected stores at Wisma Atria Shopping Centre and paid for their purchases with their mobile phone that was linked to their credit card. This trial resulted in about 50 downloads per participating store in February 2008 alone.
2. Location-Based Services: Less Push to More Pull
The above-mentioned is about location-based services that push coupons or vouchers via Bluetooth to mobile phone users at malls. While such intrusion-based efforts do produce some results, it might be even more effective for advertisers to implant consumer products in mediums where they are invited in by the consumers. This transformation from an intrusion-based to an invitation-based model (i.e. less push, more pull) is known as “Permission Marketing” (Seth Godin). The idea here is that people will put in far more effort into content that they have worked hard to download, and Nokia Maps are a good example of such content.
3. Mobile Navigation Guide via Nokia Maps
Nokia Maps is a free tool for selected mobile devices which allows users to download maps, making it easy to find locations or just discover interesting places to visit. Unlike most other mobile phone Global-Positioning Software (GPS) and maps available in Singapore, Nokia Maps offers more than just a simple map service. Users can share the location of specific places with their friends and plan routes between places. As optional services, Nokia Maps also features a navigation system and city guides. While Nokia Maps is a tool that enables mobile users to share information with friends, STOMP is a platform that enables total strangers to share content with each other via their mobile phones.
4. Citizen Journalism
STOMP on the Mobile Phone
STOMP (Straits Times Online Mobile Print) is an online platform that integrates mobile and print content. It is touted as Singapore's largest citizen journalism media platform. The Straits Times New Media Unit launched STOMP's new mobile portal that can be accessed by a wide range of mobile devices. Now busy users on the move can surf STOMP wherever they are; they only require a mobile device and an Internet connection. Stomp's mobile portal has been designed with a user-friendly, easy-to-use interface that allows for straightforward navigation which enables the portal to be accessed with just a few clicks. Thus, the mobile portal users can enjoy the same interactivity as computer users. This mobile portal takes its content from STOMP's main website, enabling users to read the latest news stories consisting of photos and videos sent in by people, post messages on forums, and also check out the latest in Singapore's clubbing scene. Proximity/Bluetooth marketing, permission marketing, and user-generated content (for instance, in platforms such as STOMP) are all examples of how the mobile phones are used today for commercial and social applications.
5. Social Networking
Facebook & Friendster Mobile Application
Also worthy of mention here is the Facebook and Friendster Mobile Applications that allow users to keep in touch with their online social network through updates from their mobile phone (at m.facebook.com and m.friendster.com respectively). With these evolving mobile phone applications, the Singapore Government’s initiative to transform Singapore’s infocomm infrastructure will lead to greater opportunities for commercial and social uses of mobile phones in ways that are not feasible at present.
6. Intelligent Nation 2015
Having recognised the importance of infocomm in providing a nation with a competitive advantage, many countries such as Korea, Japan, China, Thailand and Malaysia are making aggressive investments to enhance their infocomm infrastructures and capabilities. Hence, although Singapore’s early adoption of infocomm has provided a headstart, the country nevertheless has to employ other initiatives so as to keep abreast of her Asian neighbours. Singapore’s strategic response to these new challenges is the Intelligent Nation 2015 or iN2015 Infocomm Masterplan, a 10-year plan to transform Singapore into a connected nation & global city, powered by Infocomm with the pervasive deployment of intelligent digital technologies to enhance Singapore’s economic competitiveness. A key aspect of the iN2015 Masterplan is the infocomm infrastructure.
7. Next Generation National Infocomm Infrastructure
The Next-Generation National Infocomm Infrastructure (NII), with its 2 major components of an ultra high-speed National Broadband Network and a pervasive wireless broadband network, is a strategic enabler that is critical to transform Singapore into a ‘totally wired and wireless island’ and maintain Singapore’s ‘regional infocomm hub’ status. What is important to advertisers and businesses is that this new network will be open-access and carrier-neutral, i.e. it will be opened to all service providers to reach connected consumers, thus lowering the entry barrier for service providers.
With the second component of the Next Generation NII, the pervasive nation-wide wireless network to complement the National Broadband Network for broadband access on the go, consumers and working professionals already familiar with the many Wi-Fi hotspots throughout Singapore (such as those in public places such as shopping malls) can now enjoy broadband connectivity away from their office or home. Wireless internet service providers’ national deployment of mesh WiFi and WiMax networks for pervasive indoor and outdoor coverage in key catchment areas, such as the Central Business District (CBD) and in new developments like One-North, will facilitate commercial wireless access at highly affordable rates in the initial years. Thus, this is something that advertisers and businesses who wish to target mobile phone users with online social media applications should take note of.
8. Feeds from related articles on Singapore: Social Mobile Applications
9. References:
10. External Links:
The Death of Static Advertising
Amidst the advertising clutter, it is becoming increasingly tough for advertisements to stand out; advertising is just not breaking through. Thus, businesses and advertisers have to re-think the way they reach their target audience. One way they can achieve this reach is through mobile marketing. The evolution of the mobile phone from a bulky device with only basic functions to a palm-sized one with multiple functions has made it an indispensable, permanent fixture in many people’s lives.
The Evolution of the Mobile Phone
The mobile phone has not just evolved in itself (in terms of size and functional capabilities), but it has also changed opportunities for businesses and advertisers who are looking for new ways to engage their target audience. Previously, during the era of only-traditional media, this target group’s movements were under the radar and so, difficult for businesses and advertisers to opportunistically pick up, and monetize. However, with today’s wireless network permeating all space, the target audience’s movements have become more salient, and this has profound implications for advertisers.
In this section:
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1. Proximity / Bluetooth Marketing
Advertisers in many countries are already using the mobile phone as the tool for ‘proximity marketing’. For instance, in 2007, movie trailers were sent via Bluetooth to mobile phones in the vicinity of the box office at Lido Cineplex, Singapore. This gave a boost of 3% in top line box office sales in March, within one month of launch. Similarly, Citibank Singapore, in a near-field communications trial in 2008, provided 1000 randomly selected customers with RFID-enabled mobile phones. These customers then downloaded coupons from selected stores at Wisma Atria Shopping Centre and paid for their purchases with their mobile phone that was linked to their credit card. This trial resulted in about 50 downloads per participating store in February 2008 alone.
2. Location-Based Services: Less Push to More Pull
The above-mentioned is about location-based services that push coupons or vouchers via Bluetooth to mobile phone users at malls. While such intrusion-based efforts do produce some results, it might be even more effective for advertisers to implant consumer products in mediums where they are invited in by the consumers. This transformation from an intrusion-based to an invitation-based model (i.e. less push, more pull) is known as “Permission Marketing” (Seth Godin). The idea here is that people will put in far more effort into content that they have worked hard to download, and Nokia Maps are a good example of such content.
3. Mobile Navigation Guide via Nokia Maps
Nokia Maps is a free tool for selected mobile devices which allows users to download maps, making it easy to find locations or just discover interesting places to visit. Unlike most other mobile phone Global-Positioning Software (GPS) and maps available in Singapore, Nokia Maps offers more than just a simple map service. Users can share the location of specific places with their friends and plan routes between places. As optional services, Nokia Maps also features a navigation system and city guides. While Nokia Maps is a tool that enables mobile users to share information with friends, STOMP is a platform that enables total strangers to share content with each other via their mobile phones.
4. Citizen Journalism
STOMP on the Mobile Phone
STOMP (Straits Times Online Mobile Print) is an online platform that integrates mobile and print content. It is touted as Singapore's largest citizen journalism media platform. The Straits Times New Media Unit launched STOMP's new mobile portal that can be accessed by a wide range of mobile devices. Now busy users on the move can surf STOMP wherever they are; they only require a mobile device and an Internet connection. Stomp's mobile portal has been designed with a user-friendly, easy-to-use interface that allows for straightforward navigation which enables the portal to be accessed with just a few clicks. Thus, the mobile portal users can enjoy the same interactivity as computer users. This mobile portal takes its content from STOMP's main website, enabling users to read the latest news stories consisting of photos and videos sent in by people, post messages on forums, and also check out the latest in Singapore's clubbing scene. Proximity/Bluetooth marketing, permission marketing, and user-generated content (for instance, in platforms such as STOMP) are all examples of how the mobile phones are used today for commercial and social applications.
5. Social Networking
Facebook & Friendster Mobile Application
Also worthy of mention here is the Facebook and Friendster Mobile Applications that allow users to keep in touch with their online social network through updates from their mobile phone (at m.facebook.com and m.friendster.com respectively). With these evolving mobile phone applications, the Singapore Government’s initiative to transform Singapore’s infocomm infrastructure will lead to greater opportunities for commercial and social uses of mobile phones in ways that are not feasible at present.
6. Intelligent Nation 2015
Having recognised the importance of infocomm in providing a nation with a competitive advantage, many countries such as Korea, Japan, China, Thailand and Malaysia are making aggressive investments to enhance their infocomm infrastructures and capabilities. Hence, although Singapore’s early adoption of infocomm has provided a headstart, the country nevertheless has to employ other initiatives so as to keep abreast of her Asian neighbours. Singapore’s strategic response to these new challenges is the Intelligent Nation 2015 or iN2015 Infocomm Masterplan, a 10-year plan to transform Singapore into a connected nation & global city, powered by Infocomm with the pervasive deployment of intelligent digital technologies to enhance Singapore’s economic competitiveness. A key aspect of the iN2015 Masterplan is the infocomm infrastructure.
7. Next Generation National Infocomm Infrastructure
The Next-Generation National Infocomm Infrastructure (NII), with its 2 major components of an ultra high-speed National Broadband Network and a pervasive wireless broadband network, is a strategic enabler that is critical to transform Singapore into a ‘totally wired and wireless island’ and maintain Singapore’s ‘regional infocomm hub’ status. What is important to advertisers and businesses is that this new network will be open-access and carrier-neutral, i.e. it will be opened to all service providers to reach connected consumers, thus lowering the entry barrier for service providers.
With the second component of the Next Generation NII, the pervasive nation-wide wireless network to complement the National Broadband Network for broadband access on the go, consumers and working professionals already familiar with the many Wi-Fi hotspots throughout Singapore (such as those in public places such as shopping malls) can now enjoy broadband connectivity away from their office or home. Wireless internet service providers’ national deployment of mesh WiFi and WiMax networks for pervasive indoor and outdoor coverage in key catchment areas, such as the Central Business District (CBD) and in new developments like One-North, will facilitate commercial wireless access at highly affordable rates in the initial years. Thus, this is something that advertisers and businesses who wish to target mobile phone users with online social media applications should take note of.
8. Feeds from related articles on Singapore: Social Mobile Applications
9. References:
- Nokia Maps
- Article on STOMP on AsiaOne site.
- Statement By Dr Lee Boon Yang, Minister For Information, Communications And The Arts In Parliament During COS Debate (MICA) On 3 March 2006
10. External Links:
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Latest page update: made by brendalogy
, Apr 7 2009, 1:27 PM EDT
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