The Hindu Business Line : Brands toying with WAP for new age marketing

WAP, a protocol that helps mobile users browse sites and download content using phones with GPRS connectivity, is all set to change the marketing landscape.

Mobile technology is where all the action lies today. With a mobile user base of 130 million compared to 45 million Internet users, the mobile phone is a more favourable marketing medium, according to Mr Biraja Swain, Business Director of Maxus Interaction, the digital media arm of media agency Maxus.

He also said that of the 130 million users, five million are on the GPRS platform, which facilitates interactive activity that brands can exploit.

Since youth marketing is the order of the day, brands have to pack more and more into new age media such as the mobile phone.

"But mere push-based viral marketing through SMS is irritating for users. There is a need for pull-based marketing, where users have the option of viewing the content," said Mr Darshan Mehta, CEO of VF Arvind Brands, which has used mobile technology to promote its Lee brand in a non-intrusive manner.

Lee has an exclusive WAP site that can be accessed by SMSing `lee' to 7007.

The Lee WAP site, developed by Bangalore-based Maxus Interaction, offers "vintage" Lee commercials, wallpapers, games, a mobile catalogue of Lee's collection and an application called Fit Finder that helps consumers choose their `best fitting' pair of jeans.

In just four months of operations, it has proven to be a huge hit with 1,30,000 downloads, Mr Swain said.

However, it is still early days for WAP marketing as not too many brands have embraced this technology; mobile service providers, mobile phone makers and Internet portals such as Yahoo! and Mauj have their own WAP sites.

Pepsi offers content on cricket, Bollywood, music previews and television ads through a site powered by Yahoo! India. MTV India also has its own WAP site.

Apart from WAP, Lee has experimented with Bluetooth. Recently, Maxus Interaction set up a `Lee Hot Bluecasting Zone' at Forum Mall in Bangalore and Inorbit in Mumbai. At this zone, a server was placed at a strategic point and anyone with a Bluetooth-enabled phone within 25-100 m of the zone could receive content.

More Stories on : Marketing | M-Commerce | Telecommunications | Brands

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Anti-cyclone seen affecting easterly wave

Reliance Comm may raise funds abroad

`Broad consensus' on phasing out of CST

Mutual funds asset base shrinks on tight liquidity

ONGC may announce gas find in KG basin soon

Smart cars now powered by Indian brains

DLF to raise Rs 12,250 cr

Ministries lock horns over duty cut on palm oil

Sensex closes above 14,000

Aventis: Betting on earnings

Expansion move buoys Lanxess

Brands toying with WAP for new age marketing