Nokia 3650 Hits Prime Time... will it become the next "American Idol"?

Viewers of Fox TV hit shows The American Idol and 24 are encouraged to adopt wireless text messaging services... hopefully using the Nokia 3650 imaging device.

If you glue yourself to the Television on Tuesday nights like me, then chances are you've been exposed to Nokia's latest marketing efforts. The company has been aggresively using strategic product placement campaigns in an effort to kick start a viral effect on the usage of its latest MMS device. Likewise, carrier partner AT&T is hoping subscribers and users of the Nokia 3650 [and other text messaging-enabled devices] will help increase the usage of non-voice applications.




Last night (Tuesday, May 6) no fewer than 20 million North-American based viewers of the popular show "The American Idol" were exposed to the Nokia 3650 MMS-capable imaging phone as the show host held the unique device in his hand and reminded viewers that they can now cast their votes for a favorite star using AT&T Wireless' Text messaging service. This popular interactive feature of the show has been developed by Mobliss. (On a related note, viewers of the hit show "24" which followed Idol may have also seen the sleek 3650 being used by its characters... nice exposure Nokia!)

Seattle-based Mobliss (www.mobliss.com) has been selected as the exclusive technology provider of text voting, on-air polling, and wireless content for "American Idol". In an exclusive deal with AT&T, the company provides text messaging subscribers with the ability to vote for their favorite "idol", participate in polls, and recieve the latest news and updates. The goal... introduce North-American users to the capabilities of text messaging. Oh, and of course, generate some revenues for At&T!


AT&T subscribers participate in polls

So is this latest prime-time phenom generating interest and participation in text messaging? Well, consider this; On Tuesday evening, April 8, 2003, it was reported that the show received more than 2.5 million text messages, including polls, sweepstake entries, trivia and votes. In addition, Mobliss received the one-millionth vote via text messaging. It's also been reported that at one point, nearly one thousand text messages per second have been received during the voting period after each show, the highest peak text messaging traffic the U.S. has seen to date. According to Brian Levin, President of Mobliss, "An interactive TV component allows wireless carriers, brand marketers and consumers to utilize text messaging in an engaging, entertaining and profitable way." Judging by the numbers we've presented here, text messaging has clearly been received favorably by AT&T's subscribers.

AT&T Wireless says its sponsorship is the biggest success story in U.S. text messaging history. While text voting has been tied to other television shows in Europe and recently the U.S., it has never generated the volume of messaging seen since American Idol's premier on January 28, 2003. "The real significance of exceeding one million text votes lies in what this viewer response represents," explains an AT&T exec. "Hundreds of thousands of customers are now texting with American Idol; more than likely, these customers will remain active text messaging users in the future. Even setting aside the unprecedented on-air exposure we've received, the value this represents over the lifetime of the customer is tremendous and more than pays for our investment in this sponsorship. As the industry leader in text messaging, our primary goal was to educate the American public about text messaging on a scale that had never been done before. The move by others in the industry to try and emulate us indicates that they, too, recognize the value we've created for our customers and our business." "The fans' response to AT&T Wireless' text voting has been more positive and impressive than anyone could've hoped," said Lucy Hood, senior vice president of content for FOX News Corporation.

Technological Implications

So, it's a given that the technology has been adopted; perhaps not at a staggering rate like we've seen in European markets, nonetheless users are clearly thumbing on their devices. Watching the show, however, I have to ask myself, how has the use of text messaging affected the outcome of the show? After all, this reality series is a contest with the "real" objective being to identify the next American Idol - or is it? So what is up with the voting on American Idol? Last week it seemed apparent that the audience, the judges, and people around the country gathered at the water cooler were clearly baffled by the results of the voting. A show favorite (large, cuddly, Luther Vandros-like) Alabama native Reuben Studdard was nearly voted off, while a mediocre Josh Gracin (country singing Marine who may have some post-Iraq war favortism) received enough votes to stick around.

The first thing that popped in my mind was who is voting? Where do they come from and why do they vote the way they do? Do the latest episode's results indicate the true opinion of Idol's audience or simply that of those who took the time to vote via text messaging, which is predominantly used by boy-crazed teenage girls? It's hard to determine without knowing the demographics of the user-base, however, I'm willing to bet you that the technology has clearly had an effect on the show's results. I know myself, my young daughter has attempted to cast a vote using our landline, only to come up short and get a busy signal over and over again. Had she been an AT&T subscriber though this would not have happened. Get this... the six year-old even asked me to go get my cell-phone so she could cast her vote! I then had to explain to her that unfortunately we weren't AT&T subscribers. (Hint... anyone from AT&T wireless out there... if you'd care to hook me up I'd be glad to cast a vote next week!)

So who will be the next "American Idol"? It boils down to this; WHO CARES! What's really important to Fox Television and show sponsor AT&T wireless is that the show generates interest and adoption of wireless text messaging services. To date it appears that the show has delivered, however, only time will tell if AT&T subscribers develop a habit and even come to rely on text messaging. Recall, last year a study by San Francisco-based wireless research firm Telphia revealed that 20 percent of cell phone subscribers used text messaging features on their phones in the fourth quarter of 2002, compared with only 12 percent a year earlier. Usage doubled among young adult subscribers, from 22 percent to 45 percent and more than a quarter of all subscribers sent or received at least one message daily, while 38 percent of young adults surveyed report frequent use. My prediction - with the proliferation of text-messaging enabled devices hitting the market, SMS interoperability among the large U.S. wireless carriers, and the adoption of the technology by prime-time headliners like "Idol", expect several million text votes to be cast in American Idol 2004!

Want the American Idol ring tone? Download it for free at Here

More information SMS and the Nokia 3650:

• Symbian Devzone
• nokia 3650 and series 60
• WDN SMS Channel

Mobile Messaging Americas 2003 - As mobile text messaging starts to take off in the US and Latin America, IBC's mobile messaging Americas will bring together key experts from the messaging community to share their expertise and discuss strategies for stimulating the growth and profit from SMS, MMS and mobile IM. 2 day strategic conference plus free to attend exhibition.
11-12 June 2003, Hyatt Regency Miami, FL, USA

Note - This article has also been published at:

BluetoothNews.com

News-wireless home

---

Does your company have breaking news, a solution, event, or scoop that WDN should know about?
Send details to editors@wirelessdevnet.com