Chick-fil-A Hits the Wires

Notice of Mobile FKM's Chick-fil-A text campaign hit the wires. Posts appeared on major media sites. Not only did the QSR powerhouse brand use mobile to launch their new Chick-n-Minis, but people were texting in during Hurricane Ike to try to win a year's worth of the new product. That's dedication!

Click to see the post on WSJ.com.

The iPhone Lesson

What's the secret to the iPhone's success? It’s not the killer human-friendly interface. Or all the cool apps. It’s that Apple has finally created a safe place where people can “experience mobile” without having to worry.

When you open an iPhone site or download a app, you don’t worry about unknown costs. Your dataplan is unlimited. If there is a cost associated with the app, you know it before you buy it. And it’s a one-time cost. There are no recurring subscriptions.



You don’t worry about your privacy being breeched. Apple maintains strict standards about what it’s vendors can and cannot do on their platform. Even when using the location-based services, you are made to feel like you are in total control. What’s even better is, you actually are.

The amazing thing is that by creating this safe enviroment, Apple has liberated millions to experience the possibilities of mobile.

What’s the lesson for us as mobile marketers?

Simple. Make people feel safe when they engage your brand. Put them in control. Let them tailor your brand experience to fit their needs.

And, of course, offer them something relevant. Something they actually want. Something they can use.

That’s the Apple formula for success. It’s beautiful in its simplicity.

The Atlanta-based quick serve concept used mobile to launch its new Chick-n-Minis in the nation's fourth largest city.

Mobile FKM designed a multi-faceted mobile campaign that combined radio spots, a radio station text database outreach and in-store advertising in Houston.

During the month-long promotion, consumers could text for a daily chance to win free Chick-n-Minis for a year.

The promotion culminated September 25th when Chick-fil-A restaurants offered free Chick-n-Minis from 4 to 8 p.m. to all its customers.

"We used the database to send a mass text reminding people to stop in that afternoon for their free Chick-n-Minis," said Jose Lozano, managing partner of Mobile FKM.

In-store turn out for the promotion was better than expected.

Database members also received a text-based location finder so they could use their mobile phone to find the nearest Chick-fil-A restaurant.

More than 5,000 people texted to enter the contest. And 5 percent used the mobile location finder.

The results were strong, exceeding pre-campaign estimates. This, despite the fact that that Hurricane Ike struck the Houston just as the on-air promotion was launching. The storm shut down the city for days and left millions without power.

"Still, we were able to achieve the acquisition goals we had forecasted," said Scott Forrest, managing partner of Mobile FKM.

While Chick-fil-A didn't push the promotion during and immediately after the storm, people continued to text in to enter.

"We actually saw people texting during the hurricane," said Lozano. "Of course, we were not advertising during the storm, or in the days afterward. This was entirely viral."

What's the best thing on your cell phone?

"A simple SMS car wash application" says Nokia Global Director of E-Commerce Arto Joensuu. "It's a weather trigger that gives me a discount depending on weather."

Joensuu made the remark today while speaking at Advertising Week V in NYC.

Why would a guy who runs one of the largest mobile companies in the world think "this" is the coolest thing on his phone?

Relevance. Apparently, Arto's local car wash found a simple way to give him something that makes his life just a little better.

More about Advertising Week V at www.advertisingweekcom.

Mobile Lessons from "Ike"

Hurricane Ike hit us hard here in Houston. The city is rebuilding. And many of us are re-opening our doors for business.

While lots of hard work lies ahead of us, it is worth while to reflect on what we learned, with respect to mobile.

Lesson #1: Once again, text messaging was the only technology that worked. We've heard it after nearly every major disaster. But it didn't really sink in until I was in the middle of the technological "cone of silence" that descended after the storm. Nothing worked. No power, no TV, no phone, no Internet. Cell phones and aircards didn't work. AT&T was telling customers, via radio (oh yeah, make sure you have a battery powered one in the house), to rely on text messaging.

Lesson #2: Every company MUST have an internal mobile communications plan based on text messaging. Being a mobile company, we did. As did our parent company, FKM. And, since our servers were down for several days, it was the only way we were able to communicate with our staff.

Lesson #3: Companies MUST also prepare an external mobile communications plan. If you do, you'll be one of the few who can communicate with your customers -- and the community -- during a crisis. The core of your mobile plan is going to be your mobile database. That's your customers who have opted-in to receive messages from you.

Lesson #4: You MUST pre-plan your messaging. After Ike, some businesses with power simply let people come in and charge their cell phones (a huge help). Others acted as distribution points for ice and fresh water. Plan to send alerts to your database telling them where and when you are offering these sorts of services. Encourage database members to pass along the info. The key is to plan in advance.

There are certainly many stories from Ike still being written that are far more important. But our industry's primary technology -- text messaging -- once again stood out as the most reliable way to disseminate information and connect a community during what was truly a time of crisis.

Scott Forrest
Managing Partner, Mobile FKM

Houston First Test Market for Chick-fil-A Texting

BY MARY ANN AZEVEDO
HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL

A national chicken restaurant brand is using Houston as a guinea pig in a textbook advertising test.

Chick-fil-A Inc. kicked off the chain’s first-ever text messaging campaign in the Bayou City this week.

MobileFKM, a newly formed unit of Houston-based advertising agency FKM, helped launch the Aug. 11 mobile campaign designed to hatch more breakfast business.

MobileFKM managing partner Scott Forrest says the campaign will be driven by marketwide radio supplemented with station text-messaging promotional efforts.

Tina Murray, Chick-fil-A Houston-area marketing director, says a high number of local commuters made Houston a logical incubator for the initiative.

“Houston is paving the way for this,” notes Murray. “People spend so much time in their cars, but often still have to conduct business and be reachable. Usually in the summer, it’s home to work for most people. But when school starts, we want their routine to be, home, Chick-fil-A, drop kids off at school, and then work.”

Every day through Sept. 25, Chick-fil-A will give away a year’s supply of three-count Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Minis to someone who has entered by texting “Chicken” to 777111.

Chick-fil-A conducted a focus group with junior high and high school students and found the one thing almost all had in common was a cellphone.

The restaurant chain also realized that the up-front costs of such a mobile campaign — starting at around $10,000 — seemed “extremely affordable,” says Murray.

“But the results will tell,” she adds.

CONNECTING TO CONTENT

MobileFKM was born out of Mo7 Mobile Marketing, which was formed in 2007 and recently partnered with FKM.

FKM President Melissa Stevens says that unlike typical mobile marketers, MobileFKM offers companies more options and greater access to a broader range of consumers. Clients are delivered a mobile campaign integrated with a larger marketing package involving other media components such as direct mail, online advertising and public relations.

She says mobile advertising has great potential because it involves a portable, hand-held device almost always in the on position.

“What mobile does is keep people connected to content,” says Stephens.

There were 255.4 million cellphone subscribers in the United States as of December 2007, according to CTIA-The Wireless Association.

Forrester Research reports that 72 percent of 18- to 27-year-olds and 50 percent of 28- to 41-year-olds use text messaging monthly.

Chick-fil-A isn’t the only coup for MobileFKM, which also handles in-stadium text messaging for the Houston Astros.

Last week, the company signed a deal with Bubbles Car Wash where Bubbles will be offering a free car wash to everyone who joins their mobile club.

MobileFKM is also working on an integrated TV, radio, outdoor and online campaign for Wildcat Golf Club, telling golfers to text “Wildcat” to 777111 to join the Wildcat Mobile club. Members will receive special discounts on greens fees and can download photos of their favorite Wildcat golf hole to use as their cellphone wallpaper.

Other MobileFKM clients include On the Border restaurants, Gold’s Gym, the U.S. Army and Popeyes Chicken and Biscuits.

Stevens notes that the restaurant industry has been hit hard lately with higher gas and food prices, so are more and more looking for different ways to market.

MobileFKM managing partner Jose Lozano notes that coupons were sent for On the Border restaurants via text message to people who had texted in during a Dallas Mavericks game to try to win tickets
The coupons had a 7.5 percent redemption rate, he says.

“Not only did it promote the restaurant chain, it helped On the Border build a large database” of potential marketing targets, says Lozano.

mazevedo@bizjournals.com • 713-395-9657

Wildcat Mobile is here!

Wildcat Golf Club is connecting with golfers on the go via their mobile phones. The high-profile Houston course has launched Wildcat Mobile!

This latest Mobile FKM creation will bring golfers closer than ever before to the game, and course, they love.

Golfers who join will receive discounts on golf, swing tips form Wildcat pros and downloadable cell phone wallpaper depicting their favorite Wildcat golf holes. They'll also be automatically entered into special contests and promotions available only to mobile club members.

Wildcat Golf Club offers a central location, breathtaking views of downtown, and dramatic elevation changes.

Simply text the word “Wildcat” to the number 777111 from your cell phone to join. Or visit www.wildcatgolfclub.com.

Mobile and Merlot

Max's Wine Dive is famous for creative pairings: haute dogs and shiraz, Kobe burgers and cabernet, fried chicken and champagne. Not one to rest on his laurels, Max is now pairing mobile with his merlot. And it's getting attention.

The hip Houston-based eatery has launched Max's Underground, a mobile club that connects members via their cell phones. The project is the creation of Houston-based mobile marketing shop Mobile FKM.

For members of Max's Underground, the buzzing of their phone in their pocket is usually an invitiation to an exclusive experience of wine, food and art. A recent art exhibit, only for Max's Underground members, is just one example.

Membership is driven in the restaurant by discrete signage and by the servers. The program has garnered attention from the city's entertainment press, too.

OTB and MLB Go MOBILE

Arlington stadium is the latest venue where On The Border restaurants is using mobile. Fans, prompted by scoreboard graphics and public address mentions, can text to instantly win 2 tickets behind home plate for a future Rangers' game. The campaign is the creation of Houston-based mobile marketing shop Mobile FKM.
Everyone who texts is also entered to win a party catered by OTB. Each texter also receives a mobile coupon redeemable for a free appetizer at any Dallas-area OTB restaurants.
Baseball, great food and a party with 25 of your closest friends. What better way to kick-off the summer?!?

Houston Astros Create In-Stadium Engagement

Interactive elements:

• Text2Screen: Enhance fans’ experience at Minute Maid Park
• Pics2Screen: Generate leads for sponsor
  
• Text2Vote: Create an interactive Astros experience

On The Border

How do you make a branding sponsorship come alive? Activate it with mobile. That's what Dallas-based Mexican restaurant chain On The Border did. The campaign is the creation of Houston-based mobile marketing shop Mobile FKM.

Using a single 20-second in-game announcment in Dallas Mavericks basketball games, On The Border told people to text in for a chance to win tickets to an upcoming game. Those who did were given an entry code and a url to a custom-made landing page where they registered for the ticket giveaway.

More than 40% of all texters ended up going over to register for the contest. And everyone who texted received a mobile offer that they could bring in and redeem at On The Border.

The program was a huge success and helped drive increased sales across the market.

U.S. Army Uses Mobile to Find Recruits

Mobile FKM has launched a second mobile recruiting effort along with the U.S. Army and McCann Erickson. The campaign, which spans 102 college campuses on the East coast and throughout the Southeast, uses text as it's primary direct response vehicle. The text-to-win campaign is driven by posters and ads in campus newspapers. Texters are immediatly entered into a bi-weekly contest for an iPod nano. They also receive a WAP link to register to win a Nintendo Wii game console. Opt-in leads are tracked throughout the process and delivered back to their corresponding Army recruiter for follow up.

This is the second mobile campaign that Mo7 has produced for the Army. The previous effort included 80 campuses and 20 cinemas.

Is the Cellphone the Next Great Marketing Frontier?

By: Scott Forrest, Managing Partner of Mobile FKM

With 250 million wireless subscribers in the U.S. and more than 3 million in Houston, the short answer is "Yes." The potential is there to draw big numbers. And a cell phone is, by nature, the most personal communication device a person owns, so it also has great potential to elicit a response. But because it's so personal, marketing on a cell phone needs to be done with great care and consideration.

The cell phone is probably the last spam free place on earth. Effective mobile marketing isn't spam, but relies on a simple opt-in technique. Consumers reach out, using text messaging, to indicate they want what is being offered. The key is that they can do this the moment they see or hear an advertisement. It's an instantaneous direct response vehicle that lets them download information, offers, incentives or digital products in real time right to their cell phones, and every communication after that must include an opt-out function.

The mobile marketer always has a living, breathing database of people who are interested in what he's offering.



Published in the Houston Business Journal during the Week of January 11-17, 2008.

Popeyes Wii-a-Week Mobile

Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits is launching a market-wide mobile campaign in the Austin, Texas. The Wii-A-Week Campaign is a Mobile FKM creation and includes a text-to-win contest. Texters can win a Nintendo Wii console is given away each week, and a 42 inch Flat-panel plasma HDTV is the grand prize at the end of the promotion. The contest is being promoted in Austin Popeyes locations.

Popeyes is also sending mobile coupons to drive repeat business. In fact, the combination of sending value-laden coupons, which can be redeemed immediately, to a database of self-qualified Popeye's fans has produced a startling statistic: virtually none of the consumers receiving weekly Popeyes coupons on their cell phones has opted out of the process.

Text "Popeyes1" to 777111. Go to www.PopeyesWiiContest.com.

Mobile FKM is a member of the Mobile Marketing Association

The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the premier global non-profit association that strives to stimulate the growth of mobile marketing and its associated technologies. The MMA is a global organization with over 500 members representing over forty countries. MMA members include agencies, advertisers, hand held device manufacturers, carriers and operators, retailers, software providers and service providers, as well as any company focused on the potential of marketing via mobile devices.