Cellit powers Valentine’s Day event for Museum of Contemporary Art

By Reva McEachern

February 1, 2008

The Digital Post Office of Love affair is part of the museum’s First Friday event series

Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art is using Cellit LLC's display technology and real-time text-messaging service for the museum’s “Digital Post Office of Love” event.

Attendees will get a sticker with a number. Using the assigned 3-4 digit number and a shortcode, users will be able to instantly post messages to flirt with other participants at the event, via their mobile device. MCA ran a similar campaign last year.

“We improved upon last year’s experience by adding an alerting mechanism so the intended recipient would be alerted to check the big display,” said David Wachs, president of Cellit, Chicago.

“If you see a person and want to talk to them you text the word 'LOVE' to the shortcode with a message and your number,” Mr. Wachs said. “The system searches through the message, identifies the number and sends a notification to the intended recipient.”

The MCA is one of the nation's largest facilities devoted to the art of our time. The museum exhibit some of the most thought-provoking art created since 1945. The Digital Post Office of Love affair is part of the museum’s First Friday event series, which take place on the first Friday of every month and has a different theme each time.

Each message that is texted appears instantly on a large interactive display for all participants to see. The intended recipient does not receive the message that’s on the screen. Instead, they receive notice on their mobile phone telling them to look at the screen, adding a voyeuristic element to the Valentine’s day-themed event.

Cellit is a mobile marketing company dedicated to helping brands build their digital revenue, site traffic and audience involvement.

In addition to the MCA, Cellit clients include Broadway companies, such as Legally Blonde, Blue Man Group and Avenue Q.

The company charges clients by the bundle, which includes messaging and the platform that enables them to view the results of their marketing efforts, Mr. Wachs said.

The MCA uses Cellit technology to manage its on-going mobile marketing efforts, directed at both existing MCA members and potential customers. These efforts include prize giveaways and event reminders.

“All the people who participate will receive a one-time text asking if they want to receive future alerts,” he said.