An executive at FUBU?s Coogi said that his company is currently focusing on making the handheld experience more satisfying for customers, since 20 percent of its online traffic comes from mobile and 10 percent of sales come from the medium as well.

Additionally, Coogi is implementing mobile marketing offers and messaging targeting club-goers and hip-hop music fans via a sponsorship of Club Droid. Violator DJs, the deejay coalition responsible for breaking exclusive new music first from some of hip-hop?s biggest names, including 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes and Soulja Boy, has partnered with Digital Mind State, a new startup led by CEO Mike Johns, focused on brand advertising and integration across mobile, PCs, television and the iPad, for the launch of Club Droid 2.0.

?We see our ecommerce site as more of a promotional vehicle and a fashion statement than a hard-charging selling site,? said Dave Horowitz, new media director at Coogi Clothing, New York. ?At least 20 percent of our traffic and 10 percent of our sales come from mobile, and we are working toward making the handheld experience more satisfying.

?A big part of my interest in Club Droid is Mike Johns?he has always been ahead of the curve?he has always understood of the technology and understood the youth urban market,? he said. ?Mike said he had an app that he was developing that spoke to our core constituencies, giving people hard news, fashion news, trendsetting topics and relevant information about the brand, which we saw as more sophisticated and more respectful to our audience.

?We?re stepping away from the hard sell [with this sponsorship]?I see lots of opportunities for growth in that app.?

Coogi can customize and personalize messages to promote its brand. It will be conducting various promotional incentives this year through the Club Droid app, including an enter-and-win sweepstakes in which a one winner will receive a $500 gift certificate.

A simple Coogi banner within the Club Droid app...

...redirects users to an in-app landing page promoting Coogi's latest clothing line

Club Droid operates on the Android OS, which has now surpassed both Research In Motion?s BlackBerry and Apple?s iPhone in terms of nationwide market share in the United States and Britain.

Mr. Horowitz said that Coogi?s core demographic is consumers ages 18-35, a substantial number of which are college-educated. That audience dovetails nicely with Android users.

?Android is hot, and we have a very demanding product with a lot of bright color, pattern, stitchwork, emblems and embroidery,? Mr. Horowitz said. ?You want it to represent well, and Android devices seem to handle the product imagery very well.

?Everybody is going to mobile, so we are going with them,? he said. ?The Club Droid app is a very effective way to keep our brand hip and relevant.?

Coogi, Violater DJs, Club Droid
Available in Google?s Android Market, the Club Droid application combines geo-targeted notifications and ?yurban? (youth urban) lifestyle news into one new mobile application. It also offers VIP invites to local parties.

Party promoters can post parties and events, and party-goers have the ability to rate and comment on parties and concerts.

Violator DJs have begun using the Club Droid application to promote their parties nationwide.

House music DJ Terry Hunter is used the Club Droid application to promote his ?No Standing In Line? event to those attending his parties at Miami?s Winter Music Conference.

A party flier

In addition to promoting exclusive parties, Violator?s All-Star DJs is also a streaming radio channel featured on the Club Droid app.

Violator Music streams the latest in hip-hop, house and soul music on the Club Droid mobile application, with content updated weekly.

A Violator Music flier for a party cohosted by Club Droid

Interscope Records continues to promote its array of upcoming events including album release parties, music showcases and private listening parties connecting artist and fan through the Club Droid app.

A concert copromoted by Interscope Record and Club Droid

N.E.R.D, Yelawolf and Soulja Boy are among the music acts that Club Droid is promoting.

Along with receiving party notifications and up to-the-minute entertainment news updates, Club Droid offers Android users mobile incentives, which include discount coupons and promotions on various lifestyle products.

?With Club Droid 2.0, what we?ve done in kicking it off is a technology-influenced mix tape?this is the first mobile app that is being promoted by a mix tape,? said Mike Johns, CEO of Digital Mind State, Los Angeles. ?We have online distribution and we put out daily newsletters, news blasts with the mix tape as an attachment, which has gone viral, and we had a street team for the Super Bowl and NBA All-Star Weekend February 18-20 in L.A. handing out actual hard copies.

?We been cohosting a lot of parties from L.A. to Miami and New York, so those are a perfect kick-off for the app,? he said. ?Violator Music is using Club Droid to promote its parties, which works for us, because it keeps users engaged in the app.

?The big thing that we saw with developing the app is the life cycle of usage?when we have breaking news, it brings users into the app and gets them involved, as the push notifications hit right there where your battery life is, so forces you to get involved, bringing you into the app to keep you involved in the app on a daily basis.?

Final Take
Club Droid mania

/>