Blog Recap—Monday May 18

Mobile Monday Mid-Atlantic

This week’s sold-out Mobile Monday/PHIMA event drew nearly 400 people to Philadelphia’s most innovative high-rise, the Cira Center. Audience members listened as a distinguished panel of mobile executives discussed the current state of mobile marketing and advertising and where the industry is headed next.

A crowd of entrepreneurs, mobile executives, and technology professionals gathered to learn more about how companies are using the fastest growing advertising/marketing medium to more effectively reach target audiences with relevant messages.

Tole Hart, Research Director, Mobile Devices & Consumer Services at Gartner, began the program with a look at the current landscape of mobile marketing and advertising. With mobile advertising spending reaching $116 million in 2008 and expected to grow by 50-100% in 2009, Tole noted that several leading brands have become repeat advertisers in the space. He named three key drivers to mobile advertising growth; accountability, traceability and relatively low cost.

Steve Smith, author of Media Post’s Mobile Insider, moderated an impressive panel of executives from various facets of the mobile marketing and advertising industry:

  • AT&T: Jordan Berman, Vice President, Media Innovation
  • Millennial Media: Ethan Ross, Vice President Sales
  • NAVTEQ: Shawn Gunn, Director of Business Development & Advertising Affiliations, Americas & EMEA
  • PhindMe Mobile: Chuck Sacco, CEO
  • Razorfish: Brian Werner, Senior Media Planner
  • SmartReply: John Falcone, Senior Vice President

Highlights from the panel include:

  • As marketers realize the unique benefits of mobile advertising in terms of reach, targeting and engagement, they are increasingly embracing mobile as a target outlet.
  • Metrics for success are still being defined on a case by case basis, and may include click through rates, number of sign ups / opt-ins, click-to-call rates, number of store location queries, number of coupon downloads.
  • Particularly in the current economy, clear ROI is vital. Industry-wide standards would help achieve this.
  • Location based advertising offers huge potential and is beginning to come of age, under the caveat of “respectful engagement”. The opt-in model is the current standard to protect consumers’ privacy and maintain trust.
  • Speaking to the growth of the use of mobile phones for purposes other than calling, Jordan Berman of AT&T referenced Nielsen Mobile figures showing that SMS messaging topped mobile phone calls in Q2 2008 and text messaging increased by 450% in two years.
  • Ethan Ross of Millennial Media mentioned that MySpace predicts half its traffic will be from mobile devices in the next two years.
  • Brian Werner of Razorfish commented on the success of mobile internet sites such as ESPN Mobile – which attracted more traffic than its web equivalent on one particular day during last year’s NFL season.

Mobile Marketing & Advertising

Presented by Mobile Monday Mid-Atlantic and PHIMA (Philadelphia Interactive Marketing Association)
Date: May 18, 2009
Where: The Hub at the Cira Center, Philadelphia PA
Time: 5:30 PM cocktails (cash bar) and networking. 6:15 PM event. 7:30PM cocktails/networking.
RSVP: Registration is free, but RSVP now! Registration for this event will close early due to the 350 seating limit at the HUB – so register early.
Sponsors:
Moderator: Steve Smith. Author of Media Post’s MOBILE INSIDER.
Panel:
  • AT&T: Jordan Berman, Vice President, Media Innovation
  • Gartner: Tole Hart, Research Director, Mobile Devices & Consumer Services
  • Millennial Media: Ethan Ross, Vice President Sales
  • NAVTEQ: Shawn Gunn, Director of Business Development & Advertising Affiliations, Americas & EMEA
  • PhindMe Mobile: Chuck Sacco, CEO
  • Razorfish: Brian Werner, Senior Media Planner
  • SmartReply: John Falcone, Senior Vice President
Exhibit: Are you a local company with a mobile advertising solution? Showcase (3 left) your mobile advertising product during our pre and after event networking.
Job Opportunities: Help us connect members with opportunities! Mobile Monday will have a table for job seekers and employers. Members: Please send any job leads or open positions you may know of to rebecca@venturesavvy.com so that we may post them at our next meeting. Job seekers should send a one page personal marketing page in advance of the meeting. To send your marketing page or to request a template for one, email rebecca@venturesavvy.com. We will make this information available to our members during registration and networking.

Blog Recap—Monday March 16

Social Networking and Entertainment: A Mobile Perspective

Amid the sophisticated swank of G Lounge in Center City Philadelphia, close to 200 gathered for the latest Mobile Monday event.

The evening’s focus on Social Networking and Entertainment: A Mobile Perspective, had the near-capacity crowd of entrepreneurs, mobile executives, students and the region’s technology community debating the who, what, when and where of mobile apps.

Keynote speaker Art Howe of Verve Wireless, a developer of mobile applications for media companies, inspired the crowd with Verve’s well-deployed mobile media applications.  Evidenced by the company’s AP News application, which Time Magazine recently named the top iPhone News App of 2008, Art argued that there is true momentum behind the creation of mobile news networks.

As Philadelphia’s daily papers have been making their own bad headlines, Art predicted that the newspaper transition will be “ugly for the next two years.”   But he remained optimistic about the future of mobile as an ideal platform for local publishing and advertising, and predicted sky high consumer adoption rates in the coming months.

Local publishing and advertising applications can benefit significantly from the location capabilities of the mobile networks.  Location continued to receive a good deal of attention as the evening’s panel discussion turned the conversation toward social networking apps.

Steve Barsh, the newest addition to DreamIt Ventures team, led a provocative panel discussion.  Participants included:
Ron Braunfeld, VP Business Development, ULocate
Art Howe, CEO, Verve Wireless
Josh Wais, Founder, Crave Mobile
Jason Laan, SpreadMob
Blake Jennelle, Director of Marketing at TicketLeap and Founder of Philly Startup Leaders

The panel discussed upcoming trends and themes:

• As traditional social networks such as Facebook and MySpace continue to grow, a panelist predicted an original mobile social network will take the world by storm
• Location is hot. Despite the need for privacy, a growing generation of mobile users find the ability to share their status and location anytime, anywhere appealing
• More mobile applications will arise out of the content and context created by using mobile devices

Along with these trends and themes, the panelists acknowledged the constant caveat of a continued disconnect between hype and consumer use.

Social Networking and Entertainment: A Mobile Perspective - March 16, 2009

Date: Monday March 16, 2009

About: “Social networking is already a global phenomenon, and going mobile is the next big thing,” said Jeff Herrmann, vice president of Mobile Media at Nielsen Mobile in 2008.  What’s new for 2009? At this event you will hear from established mobile firms and start-ups working in the space of mobile social networking and entertainment.  At this event you can also network with leaders in mobile from carriers, start-ups and VCs in a collegiate atmosphere.  Mobile Monday Mid-Atlantic is the premier place to learn and talk about what’s hot in mobile.

Location: g Lounge.  The hottest private event space in Philadelphia, for the hottest mobile social and entertainment networking event.  111 S. 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA. (cash bar, with lite Mediterranean bites)

Registration: In order to have Mobile Monday at cool, hip spots, such as the g Lounge, there is a small program support fee of 7 dollars through online registration, or 10 dollars at the door.  Seating is limited, so register early!

Sponsor: Citi Smith Barney

To win a free iTouch, please fill out this CitiSmithBarney/Momo survey. Winner will be announced at 7:30PM, at the end of the event, and you have to be present to win!

Agenda


5:30 – 6:15

Registration & Networking Cocktails (cash bar)

6:15 – 6:30

Opening Remarks and PresentersJP Finnell, Co-Chair and Founder, Mobile Moday Mid-Atlantic

Frontier Service DesignIntroduction by Bob Cooper CEO, Frontier Service Design

6:30 - 6:45

Keynote Presenter

Art Howe, Verve Wireless - Verve creates mobile applications for media companies, including the AP News application, named by Time Magazine as the top iPhone News App of 2008

6:45 – 7:30


Panel

7:30 – 7:40

iTouch Drawing Results by Ron Zeitz
The Zeitz Colache Group has served as Wealth Management Advisers in the Delaware Valley for over 15 years. Ron and Mike have both been involved in the day to day management of private companies throughout their careers. This experience, coupled with the global resources and support of Citi Smith Barney, gives the team unique insight to assisting small business owners attain their financial goals. Please feel free to call (888) 651-6513 to discuss how our team might help you in the future.
7:40 - 8:30
Registration & Networking

Hors D’ Oeuvres & Cocktails(cash bar)

DEMO NIGHT on January 26, 2009

The hottest mobile companies in the Mid-Atlantic region will present at DEMO NIGHT on January 26, 2009.

When: January 26, 2009
Time: 5:30PM Cocktails and Registration.  6:00PM Event Start.
7:15 More Cocktails, Networking and Demo Tables.
Where: Franklin Institute in the Planetarium. $5.00 parking in the Franklin Institute underground garage (21st Street entrance) w/validation - ask Institute personnel in main lobby.
RSVP: RSVP. Due to venue size seating is limited. A $5.00 contribution is requested but not required at the door to support Mobile Monday Mid-Atlantic events.

Event Co-Hosts and Sponsors:

Entrepreneurs Forum of Greater Philadelphia
Entreprenuers Forum of Greater PhiladelphiaFor over 20 years, the Entrepreneurs’ Forum of Greater Philadelphia has served as the tri-state clearinghouse for entrepreneurial activity among early stage companies and entrepreneurs in the Delaware Valley.

Temple University Fox School of Business
Fox School of BusinessThe Fox School of Business and Management’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute (IEI) proactively promotes entrepreneurial spirit throughout all 17 schools and colleges of Temple University.

DeviceAnywhere
DeviceAnywhere provides developers real-time interaction with over 2000 REAL handsets that are connected to live global networks. Sign up before February 15th and receive 20 Hours of FREE DeviceAnywhere access! To take advantage of this special offer for Mobile Monday members only, simply e-mail promotions@deviceanywhere.com with the subject line “MoMo promotion.”

Smith Barney

What:
Demo night is where you can watch and interact with the top mobile companies in the region as they unveil their latest and greatest.

From Publicly traded companies and venture-backed juggernauts to start-ups looking for seed capital, demo night captures the upbeat vibe of the mobile space.

Keynote:
Roy Rosin, Intuit Small Business Division, leader of Innovation Programs. Roy has been at Intuit for 13 years and previously managed the Quicken software business unit.

Here’s a sample of the exciting line-up for DEMO night:

Smarter Agent lets any consumer use their cell phone to learn about any home for sale or apartment for rent. Named best GPS application by CTIA - the telecom industry association.

• MyDropCard has developed a mobile phone enabled contact management system that evolves business cards to meet the demands of the digital age.

MyLeaderboard operates hosted downloadable mobile applications for on-venue fan enhancement service for professional golf tournaments and sporting events.

• NAC now runs the former Earthlink city-wide free Philadelphia Wi-Fi network

PhindMe enables agencies, resellers, and entrepreneurs to add conprehensive mobile marketing to their list of services.

Roundbox provides end-to-end software solutions for mobile and broadcast network operators deploying mobile broadcast services.

• Vita Products has developed an identification/contactless payment platform that can be integrated with a variety of consumer products/accessories aimed at the large and growing population of physically active adults.

Zoombak offers advanced GPS pet and vehicle tracking solutions that allow consumers to stay connected to their families, pets and possessions.

Advanced Mobile Access delivers mobile classified solutions for on-the-go readers and advertisers.

To potential presenters and sponsor/exhibitors:

We cannot accept anymore applications for demo companies.  However, we can support sponsors/exhibitor tables in the networking area. For more information, contact us at info@momo-ma.com

Sponsor/Exhibitors:

Diamond Technologies
Diamond TechnologiesDiamond Technologies is an IT consulting firm that has served Fortune 1000 and public sector organizations since 1996. We offer an extensive range of solutions, ranging from Mobility, to portals, to custom application development and support. Our experience working with hundreds of clients takes the uncertainty out of IT.

Apacheta Corporation
Apacheta Corporation Apacheta provides mobile business applications for consumer goods, transport and service companies looking to streamline their field force operations.

Mobility in America: November 17, 2008

Event: November 17, 2008- 5:30 networking/registration, 6:00 panel
Topic: Mobility in America
Location: The Franklin Institute (in the Planetarium!)
RSVP: RSVP. Due to venue size seating is limited. A $5.00 contribution is requested but not required at the door to support Mobile Monday Mid-Atlantic events.
Panelists: Virgin Mobile, University of Pennsylvania, Gartner, Xtify/Meetmoi
This event is sponsored by:

Select Greater Philadelphia

DeviceAnywhere provides developers real-time interaction with handsets that are connected to live global networks. Sign up before December 15 and receive 20 Hours of FREE DeviceAnywhere access! To take advantage of a special Mobile Monday offer e-mail promotions@deviceanywhere.com with the subject line “MoMo promotion.”

Keynote: James E. Katz, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Communication at Rutgers University where he also directs the Center for Mobile Communication Studies
Moderator: Steve Barsh, First Round Capital
Panelists: Matthew Berberian, Customer Experience, Virgin Mobile USA

Dr. Scott H Reikofski - Director, Office of Fraternity Sorority Affairs University of Pennsylvania

Tole Hart, Research Director, Consumer Services, Gartner

Andrew Weinreich, Xtify/Meetmoi

Overview: Learn how mobility is changing families, education and work in America.

If you are a mobile marketer, application developer or investor – this is your chance to interact with leaders who have the research and real world experience to tell you how mobile phones are changing the way we live, work and play.

Now that cell phones have come to play a prominent part in family life it is worth considering how this technology is affecting the American family and interpersonal relationships.

This question is important because we are increasingly communicating and coordinating via mobiles, and social relationships are thereby modified. The question is also important because policymakers are looking at cell phones both with an eye to control and address critical social problems ranging from education to public safety.

At this Mobile Monday event, we will review data from a range of sources including surveys, case studies, interviews and news reports to identify trends in the way mobile phones are used in family life. Parent-child relationships, to social integration and peer socialization will all be explored.

Our panelists are both research and real world experts how mobile is being used today and how it will be used in the future.

September 22, 2008

At the next Mobile Monday Mid-Atlantic event on Sept 22, 2008 6PM …

Consider a world where high speed mobile access is like oxygen — it’s everywhere.
Event: September 22, 2008, 6:00 PM
Topic: Next Generation Wireless Networks
Location: The Franklin Institute (in the Planetarium!)
Panelists: AT&T, Comcast, Google, XOHM, NAC, Wharton.
RSVP: Due to venue size seating is limited. A $5.00 contribution is requested but not required at the door to support Mobile Monday Mid-Atlantic events.  RSVP, now. Be part of something very exciting – with leading national and regional mobile players - in our trademark Mobile Monday collegiate atmosphere.
This event is sponsored by:

Select Greater Philadelphia

SELECT Greater Philadelphia focuses on building the regional economy

With special thanks to: Network Acquisition Company (NAC).

Moderator: Kevin Werbach, Assistant Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Panelists: Comcast: Chris Dixon, Senior Director, Product Development and TechnologyGoogle: Karl Garcia, Google Wireless network, Mountainview, CA

Xohm: Rick Robinson VP Product and Services

Network Acquisition Corp (formerly Wireless Philadelphia): Rick Rasansky, Co-founder and President

AT&T: Dave Moshenberg, Enterprise Architect -AT&T Mobility

Overview: Next generation 4G wireless networks such as LTE and WiMax offer increased speeds and inter-connectivity between devices.
What new services and applications can be created or improved?

What new devices will you need?

Which is better? Is LTE the superior technology – it’s being adopted by carriers such as A&T and Verizon. Or is WiMax favored by the Computing/Internet crowd of Xohm, Google, Intel and Comcast the way to go?
These new mobile networks will make it possible for your refrigerator to sense when you are in the supermarket and then interface with your cell phone to tell you not to forget milk?  The will let your camera to instantly send every photo you take to your computer.  In addition to these simple examples, at this event we’ll learn the really important things these networks will do!
Network! Network with and learn from thought leaders in mobile at our next BLOCKBUSTER event on Monday September 22nd at 6:00 PM! RSVP, here.

Next Event, September 2008

 Mobile Monday Mid-Atlantic had a wonderful inaugural year. We appreciate our sponsors (Wolf Block, Blank Rome, Traffic.com, Morgan Lewis), our speakers at all the events — and everyone that attended the events.

Our events this season included Location-Based Services, Mobile Advertising, DEMO night and Mobile in the Enterprise. These events were the beginning of an exciting mobile community in the Mid-Atlantic region. 

Our next meeting is September. Have a safe, fun and friend and family filled summer.

The next event is Monday, May 19 2008: Mobile in the Enterprise

Date: Monday May 19, 2008

Newsmaker Monday! Breaking news and analysis: Special pre-panel talk (with Q&A) by City of Philadelphia At-Large Councilman Bill Green.  “Why and how Philadelphia must react to the pullout of Earthlink from the City Wide WiFi network”.

Title: Mobile in the Enterprise:

Best practices. What’s hot and what’s not. Predicting what’s next.

Location: Union League Club of Philadelphia

Time: 6PM-9PM

RSVP: The event is free, RSVP here. (the events fill-up)

Sponsor: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP & Wharton Club of Philadelphia

About: Corporations care about increasing productivity. Hear how leading companies integrate mobile into the enterprise by making it easy to adopt and afford.

Introduction: Stephen Goodman, Morgan Lewis Partner, Morgan Lewis’ Business & Finance Practice (the guru of private equity in Philadelphia!)

Moderator: Bob Pons, Senior Vice President, TMNG Global (vetern mobile/telcom executive with companies such as MCI, Sprint, and FreedomPay who leads the Capital Markets Practice for TMNG Global)

Panelists:

  • Charles Weg, Mobility Applications, AT&T (25 years in telecommunications and has worked for Converse, Sprint, GTE Telenet, Boeing and Datapoint)
  • Mark Paul, Regional Manager, Strategic Clients, Motorola (24 years in the Mobile Computing and Mobility industry and worked for MSI Data, Symbol Technologies, Telxon, and Motorola)
  • JP Finnell, CEO of Mobility Partners, LLC (wrote the book on business mobility, worked for Nokia, and is a recognized leader in his pure-play wireless mobility consultancy)
  • Sandeep Bhanote, CEO, Global Bay (over 200+ deployments in over 8 countries in 5 languages of its mobile platform across many verticals including Retail and Government)
  • Don Grust, VP Marketing and Business Development, Apacheta (15 years in wireless and mobile computing, worked for RAM Mobile Data (now Velocita Wireless) and AT&T Bell Labs, and founded Espria & Broadbeam)
  • Frederic Wilf, Technology Law, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (expert on legal implications of mobile technology in the enterprise)

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Check out what’s hot on the local mobile scene. Don’t miss our exciting DEMO night on March 24.

Demo night showcases what Mobile Monday Mid-Atlantic is all about. Up close and personal with exciting mobile companies.  Demo night is hosted by Traffic.com and will be held right off the Chesterbrook exit of Route 202 at the VALLEY FORGE SUITES HOTEL, 888 Chesterbrook Blvd, Wayne (Chesterbrook) PA  19087 on Monday March 24.  Networking and reception starts at 5:45 PM and the event begins at 6:30PM.  After the event there will  be tours of the Traffic.com studio. RSVP - this event will fill-up!

RSVP now!  Registration is free.

For our last event, we had to close registration the day of the event.  Maybe because we held our event on a holiday (MLK day) people wanted to keep the party going.  An overflow event should be the case on March 24th as well - as Mobile Monday is the day after Easter Sunday - so come out to extend the festivities with us!

Demo night is where you can watch and interact with mobile co’s in the region as they unviel their latest and greatest.  From publicly traded companies, to start-ups looking for seed capital, demo night captures the upbeat vibe of the mobile space.

Here’s a sample of the exciting line-up for DEMO night:

  • LeaderBoard has an exclusive deal with the PGA (Professional Golf Association) to provide a way for tournament spectators to follow a match from a sanctioned mobile device. Cell phones are not allowed near the course (can you imagine Tiger misses a put because he’s distracted by your ring-tone).
  • Traffic.com lets you get the latest traffic information from your cell phone to lessen the pain of your commute. 
  • GoMobo lets you order and pay ahead of your arrival at busy restaurants like Subway, DunkinDonuts and yes, WaWa.
  • PhindMe’s platform let’s consumers interact with your business from mobile phones.
  • Accuity Mobile let’s companies manage mobile advertising with their robust platform.
  • Human Network Labs uses on screen icons to represent physical places linked to information, personal profiles or websites.
  • Crave mobile was created by local University of Penn students and uses natural language recognition, machine learning-algorithms, text-messaging and a user’s pre-existing social network to become seamlessly integrated in a person’s life.