SMS Radio

Those aren’t call letters, it’s yet another take on moving radio from broadcast to a modern media.  And with more than a billion java-enabled handsets sold last year, I’d say it’s a pretty smart move.

PM1 SMS, a service aimed at radio stations, turns handsets into marketing ma-chines.

Actually, I like it. It’s total modern media.  It gives listeners new kinds of access to their music and moves advertising just a touch closer to where more of it should be - on-demand.  But, more importantly, the revenue and purchasing models signal the move toward true mobile commerce and that advertising models are thinking modern while gaining mainstream traction.

Listeners text a five-digit code to the radio station which triggers a plethora of expected choices - everything from artist information, wallpaper and alerts to downloading the ringtone, buying music on iTunes or grabbing concert tickets on the go.  Of course there are the necessary polls, contest entry and feedback.  But, listeners can also request certain radio content on-demand and use “text tags” to get advertiser information and special promotions (that would be Frame of Mind marketing) – and of course buy non-music products, all with their everywhere-I-go handset.

A key and unique feature is listeners set up an M-Wallet account with the radio station and purchases are charged against the credit card on file.  Currently, almost all purchasing done via mobile phone (for U.S. audiences at least) is through mobile service provider. Let true m-commerce begin!

PM1 SMS differs from Nokia’s Visual Radio in that Visual Radio is primarily a “push” model which then allows some limited user response opportunities.  PM1 SMS is listener-initiated, two-way, get-it-when—where-I-want-it radio. 

Virgin Radio launch an SMS response service last year – so we’re not too surprised that Virgin Mobile is just one major customer signing on with PM1 SMS.

Good call!

Comments

[James Cridland]

Of course, Virgin Radio is not owned by Virgin, so has no connection with Virgin Mobile5

Incidentally, Virgin Radio's Visual Radio service is now live, using the O2 mobile network, in the UK.

Cheers!

James

[Noclegi Ustka]

Good article. Thanks