HipCricket's new GM for Hispanic business talks strategy

By Dan Butcher

September 5, 2008

HipCricket says it all starts with SMS

Mobile marketing company HipCricket has announced the appointment of David Jones as general manager of the first comprehensive Hispanic mobile marketing network.

The network consists of a family of Hispanic media properties that brand managers can leverage with a single buy for targeted, interactive mobile campaigns to Hispanic consumers in leading U.S. markets that include Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and New York. HipCricket's Hispanic reach extends to 14 of the top 15 Hispanic markets and to more than nine million listeners and viewers.

"I've joined HipCricket to head the Hispanic mobile marketing network and reach out to Hispanics on their mobile device," said Mr. Jones, general manager of HipCricket, Kirkland, WA. "Marketers and branders now have a way to reach the Hispanic market, which everyone's been trying to reach, because by 2010 Hispanics will be the largest minority in the U.S.

"They know that Hipcricket has done many mobile marketing campaigns geared toward Hispanics, a group that has been indexing very high as far as mobile phone usage in general and text messaging specifically," he said.

Mr. Jones' appointment is the latest development in HipCricket's efforts to reach the burgeoning Hispanic market -- which is expected to have $1.2 billion in buying power by 2012 -- as the company has recently announced deals with broadcast companies including Spanish Broadcasting System.

David Jones is general manager at HipCricket

"Nielsen reported that 24 percent of first-generation iPhone owners are Hispanic, which speaks to their receptivity to new mobile technology," Mr. Jones said. "If you're marketing in the U.S., you've got to reach out to this consumer group."

Mr. Jones comes to HipCricket with experience in the Hispanic marketplace as the former co-founder/CEO at CDK Media, a full-service multi-media company serving the U.S. Hispanic community.

While at CDK Media, Mr. Jones oversaw the creation and execution of marketing, advertising, PR and sponsorship programs for national clients including Volvo Cars of North America, Southwest Airlines, Colgate Palmolive, L'Oreal, American Express, Nissan, All State, General Motors, ExxonMobil and Wal-Mart.

Mr. Jones also has a background in the technology and sales industries. Prior to entering media, he served as the U.S. director of sales for the Web-hosting giant Navisite, a CMGI company.

Before Navisite, Jones was the European sales director for the U.S. CAD/CAM software company Parametric Technology Corporation, overseeing sales in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg.

HipCricket, Inc. drives new revenue and customer loyalty for broadcast stations and consumer brands through strategic, creative and measurable mobile marketing interactivity.

The mobile marketing software and solutions company claims that it has delivered more than 17,000 successful campaigns for customers including Clear Channel Radio, Premiere Radio Networks, Sandusky Broadcasting, NBC, Coca Cola, Staples, Hershey's and Jameson.

HipCricket says that allowed broadcasters to tap into Hispanic market by running a Mariah Carey text-to-win sweepstakes letting consumers enter to win tickets to a Mariah Carey concert as well as mobile product coupons.

HipCricket produces interactive campaigns through SMS, mobile Web/WAP and mobile advertising.

"We'll be working to build out this network and give brands a way to reach out to the Hispanic marketplace in a measurable way with impressive ROI," Mr. Jones said. "We'll take advantage of HipCricket's technology and expertise to offer a value proposition for our clients and their consumers."

HipCricket runs on-site training sessions at more than 90 radio and TV stations to help build their database.

"We're going to have a medium for brands and marketers to deliver product offerings directly to Hispanic consumers who want to receive those offers," Mr. Jones said. "Everything is opt-in, permission-based."

When consumers respond to an offer or an ad, HipCricket has the ability to send one more text message to see if they want to opt in to a VIP list and be added to the company's database. HipCricket then collects information about their interests.

"32 percent of all Hispanics receptive to receiving offers on their phone if they see value in the proposition so that's the key for us," Mr. Jones said. "Texting is an activity that is mainstream, and Hispanics are an especially engaged group of Americans who have more interest to do more on their phones than other groups.

"We not interesting in one-shot campaigns," he said. "We want to create a growing interaction and ongoing dialogue to bring value to our clients by having folks say 'I want to have a conversation over an extended period of time.'"