Archive for July, 2010

GRANDE: Latinos now make up 1/6 of US population.

If you are looking to traditional American values, the Hispanic market may be the equivelant of the 1950′s in America.

The median age of Hispanics is 28 — the same as it was for America in 1955, right after the post-war baby boom. 34% of Hispanics are children. Hispanics more often live in large, traditional, married-with-children families with participation from grandparents in the family unit. The average Hispanic family has 4.0 members compared to 2.9 members in the average White family. Only 4% of Hispanics live alone, compared to 15% of Whites.

Hispanics now make up 50 million Americans; that’s one in six residents! Since 2000, the Hispanic population in the USA has increased by 42%! That compares to the non-Hispanic population which increased by just 5% in that time period. In fact, Hispanics have now replaced African-Americans as the second largest consumer market in the USA.

What’s more important is the continued Americanization of the Hispanic population. Today, 91% of all Hispanic children were born in the USA, as compared to just 47% of their parents.

The market is also easy to reach, similar to the neighborhoods of ethnic groups in the past. 76% of all Hispanics live in just 8 states — California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, Arizona, New Jersey, and Colorado. In fact, half of all Hispanics live in California and Texas.

We’ve previously discussed how Hispanics tend to have cellular phone bills that are larger than non-Hispanics. This is because Hispanics are more likely to not have a landline phone. Not surprising, given the young and urban concentration of Spanish-speaking adults and children.

The American Hispanic population is split down the middle in terms of the language that they prefer to speak.  About half actively speak both English and Spanish, but often speak Spanish at home with family.  On the other hand, half prefer to speak Spanish. 

Reaching Hispanics with Spanish speaking advertisements is definitely the preferred method.  While the ethnic group will speak English, its important to also offer them marketing and advertising in Spanish.  It will also help make your marketing message stand out from those brands that don’t bother to market directly to this important market segment.

That’s why 84444.com believes that you should target your mobile marketing to Hispanics as well…with Spanish messages.  To not do so, means you are missing out on an important and growing segment of the US population.

T-Mobile Takes a Vacation

Important Notice: T-Mobile USA Campaign Freeze August 6 through August 23, 2010

Please be informed that T-Mobile USA will freeze all campaign submissions and certifications for two weeks starting at 5:00PM Pacific Time, August 6, 2010. The freeze will end at 9:00AM Pacific Time, August 23, 2010. During this period, new campaign creation, campaign status change requests, and message route edits in 3PG will be submitted to T-Mobile after the freeze is lifted.

Certification requests will continue to be submitted to T-Mobile, but the requests will not be processed until after the freeze ends on August 23. Certifications submitted during this period will be processed in order of submission. The freeze is part of T-Mobile’s migration from CoGa to the 3PG and SDG platforms.

7-Eleven Day: Free Slurpees on July 11.

7-Eleven offers up to 1,000 customers a free Slurpee of their choice only one day a year.  This promotion interests consumers to take part in their marketed day.

7-Eleven has used 84444.com’s text messaging marketing solutions in order to promote this day. They use interactive text message programs where the customers opts-in to their promotion.  Customers text slurpee to 84444 and receive the promotion in response.  The response message is what is shown to any 7-Eleven in order to get a 7.11 oz free slurpee. 

On 7-Eleven day, they also use 84444.com’s text messaging in order to help customers save money on gas.  Customers text gas to 84444 in order to save 11 cents per gallon at participating 7-Eleven’s with CITGO gas when you purchase a CITGO cash card and prepay at the pump. 

Recent statistics show the expected increase in radio advertising for 2010. Previously, in 2009 radio advertising took a turn for the worse, decreasing by 17.7%. According to media researcher, SNL Kagan, the drop took revenues to $16.0 billion.

This year, the broadcast industry is back in business with the expected increases for radio ad revenues. SNL Kagan says radio advertising will rise 6.4% to $17.1 billion. They also foresee a rise in the next six years of 15% to $552 million for radio, and $19.8 billion in advertisements.



Peirce College, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, utilizes mobile marketing in order to engage more students to their endless opportunities.  They market a keyword and a shortcode on public transportation, such as buses and taxi cabs, in order to allow prospective students to learn more about the college.  This do-it-yourself marketing is also known as permission-based marketing, or opt-in marketing, where the interested customer opts-in to the promotion or information being displayed.  This now gives the business or organization a database in which they can now report information to through broadcast text messaging.

The customer sends in the keyword in order to receive a response message.  Peirce College uses this strategy to gather leads in order to contact these prospective students that are sending in the keywords.  The customer receives a response letting them know that a representative will be contacting them shortly and a thank you for their interest.  This process is simple and convenient through 84444.com.

Advanced Telecom Services offers this service of broadcast text messaging through their brand, 84444.com.  84444.com allows an organization to reserve keywords that they wish to market to the shared shortcode 84444.

84444.com’s service provides a University or College with the qualities they need to better their community of students.  Studies have shown that 98% of college students own a cell phone, and more than 90% of those students use text messaging. If an e-mail is sent to the student, it may be read a couple hours later, whereas 94% of text messages are opened immediately upon receipt.  This statistic raises another way in which colleges or universities can operate 84444.com.  With text message broadcasting the institution can send out mass text messages in the case of an emergency or class cancellation to all of its students.  The students will obtain the information within the first five minutes of the text message being sent.

Using this service is a great way to promote your college or university, and what it has to offer.  The possibilities of service are endless!  Mobile marketing is one of the fastest, easiest, and most effective marketing strategies in today’s industry. Peirce College benefits from this strategy in that they build knowledge to potential students everyday.

Subway, one of the largest franchises in the United States, has embraced Advanced Telecom Services’ brand 84444.com.  They have incorporated mobile coupons and promotions into their marketing strategies in order to gain more of an advantage in sales. For example, Subway restaurants have posters and signs hung up encouraging customers to text their keyword ‘dietcoke’ to the shared shortcode 84444.  This then triggers a response text message back to that customer’s mobile device informing them that they have entered to win a $100 Subway gift card.  This is one of several of Subway’s promotional advertisements.

Other promotions include the Subway Fresh Fit 500 NASCAR Race.  Customers opted in to the chance to win a trip to the race by texting in keywords to 84444.  The response text notified them of the promotion and the drawing date, along with a coupon for any regular sub for just $5. As simple as creating this promotion was, Subway satisfies customers by offering sweepstakes along with a mobile coupon.

For Subway, not only does this do-it-yourself marketing strategy increase sales, but most importantly it enables them to create a database of opt-in customers.  These customers are now eligible to receive text broadcasts including information on weekly specials.  These Subway customers can receive mobile coupons and promotions in order to better their experience, while also benefiting Subway and their customer appreciation.

94% of text messages today are opened within the first 5 minutes immediately upon receipt.  Therefore, Subway finds ways to promote their business effectively.  They will send out a broadcast text message that includes a coupon for lunch, late morning around 11:30 to their opt-in customers.  This is extremely effective marketing because it causes their customers to think of Subway when they are starting to get hungry at the office mid-day.  Also, because Subway is well-known for subs at lunch rather than dinner time, they will send out coupons with specials after 4:00 pm in order to heighten business at later hours.

84444.com provides a tool for advertisers, businesses, and organizations to easily provide interactive mobile marketing. Interactive text messaging is the most effective medium for any organization trying to enhance sales through mobile marketing. 84444’s service also allows for personalization in their broadcast text messages. Studies have shown that personalizing mobile messages increases returns and ultimate ROI for your business. New York Times called mobile advertising “The most powerful advertising medium of all-time.”  So why not try 84444.com’s service just like Subway now!

Today, out of women from the ages 16-54 who use mobile devices, 93% say they are on the lookout for bargains and mobile coupons.  Retail companies are continually looking to please the consumers by giving them what they want.  Through survey,  68% of women have said that they are fascinated by the idea of receiving discounts via their mobile devices.  Approximately 53% of women say they are most interested in retail coupons, followed by approximately 16% interested in dining coupons.  These women in search for special offers come from the 94% of women who browse the mobile web at home daily.

Mobile Ads have also become frequent amongst women.  When asked if they have ever clicked on a mobile ad, out of 875 responses, approximately 57% responded yes, 28% responded no, and 15% were neutral.  Women are increasing their attention on the advertisements within the mobile web.

Among women, Facebook and Yahoo are the most popular, leading to research on the commonality of internet usage.  This internet usage then leads to the frequency of mobile web usage. Women are already engaged and interested in exploring all of the new mobile services on the mobile web provided today given their interest in the internet.  These mobile devices are extremely important in connecting retail brands with their customers in which women find themselves paying attention to.