Mobile Web advocacy gets new supporter in dotMobi

By Mickey Alam Khan

March 31, 2008

Mickey Alam Khan is editor in chief of Mobile Marketer

Mobile Web specialist Bango’s handover of the ilovemobileweb global campaign is good news for the industry, given that the dotMobi Advisory Group is the new custodian of a well-conceived advocacy effort.

The ilovemobileweb campaign’s overarching goal is to raise awareness of the mobile Web with consumers worldwide.

Creating a platform for desktop Web publishers to move mobile, more standardization of devices and development platforms, and open access to the mobile Web are among other objectives.

Every industry, young or old, has and needs its own advocacy group.

The dairy industry has its campaign to encourage mustachioed consumers to drink more milk, the pork lobby plugs the other white meat, the poultry guys have their own thing and the liquor marketers always urge people to “drink responsibly.”

The mobile industry needs to rally and support ilovemobileweb.

It’s just a matter of time before every mobile phone in the United States will have a Web browser to access sites. It’s already the case in many Asian and European markets, where the mobile phone often is the first point of access for the Internet.

What will accelerate the launch of more features and functionalities on the new models of phones available nationwide is the rapid adoption of flat-rate plans. So far, Sprint and Helio have all-you-can-eat plans for voice and data. Expect other wireless carriers to hop onboard and extend their flat-rate voice plans to encompass data.

Prior to its handover, the ilovemobileweb campaign was chaperoned by 25 charter members including Bango, dotMobi, Winksite and the Mobile Marketing Association.

Now, the campaign will also get the support of more than 100 dotMobi members.

“Bango started this initiative and we thought it was great,” said Simi Grosman, who heads marketing services at dotMobi. “We believe the whole concept of promoting the mobile Web would be more effective, have better reach and make more of an impact if it came from an impartial, not-for-profit organization like dotMobi.

“In terms of the need, I think it is a matter of awareness,” she said. “The mobile Web is the next frontier that is going to have a significant impact at the consumer level and at the business level. This is a campaign to promote the awareness and usage of the mobile Web.”

DotMobi holds seminars and conferences, a number of them with market researcher Informa. It will now promote the ilovemobileweb campaign and the mobile Web through member communications, newsletters and events.

Participation in the campaign is free. Mobile companies can also sponsor events, publications and outreach efforts. Memorabilia is available for sale at http://www.cafepress.com/ilovemobileweb.

DotMobi will officially announce its support of the ilovemobileweb campaign April 1 at a party during next week’s CTIA Wireless 2008 Conference in Las Vegas. It is open to all dotMobi members, registered supporters and invited guests. Sponsors include Bango, ooober, Smaato, Medio Systems, dotMobi and the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association.

“We’ve gotten great response from people wanting to attend the party and wanting to learn more about efforts to promote the mobile Web,” Ms. Grosman said.

“I think this is because it’s a win-win for everybody,” she said. “At the end of the day, it is in the collective interest to see the mobile Web gain uptake.”

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