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Retail giant Target taps mobile for new product push

Mass merchandiser Target is running a banner ad campaign to promote its exclusive sale of Christina Aguilera's new CD release.

Target is placing banner ads on 310.tv, a new mobile blogosphere platform, to promote its exclusive sale of Christina Aguilera's new CD release. In addition to the headers and footers, Target's media buy with Snakk Media includes a sponsorship and run of site, or ROS, promoting the deluxe version of the pop diva's "Keeps Getting Better: A Decade of Hits."

"We're thrilled that Target is a partner of ours," said Joe Kavanaugh, Los Angeles-based vice president of strategic development for Snakk Media. "We're onto something here, and to have a big brand associated with our launch right out of the gate as a first advertiser, we're ecstatic.

"It's a great opportunity for advertisers to target people that are pretty hard to target -- trendsetters, early adopters, pop culture junkies and influential consumer voices."

Target is also running a TV commercial to promote the release of the CD.

"Keeps Getting Better: A Decade of Hits" was released on Nov. 11.

Ms. Aguilera scored her first hit single, "Genie in a Bottle," in 1999. The song reached number one on the pop charts.

Snakk Media owns and operates mobilized versions of various Internet blogs, generating exclusive made-for-mobile features, breaking news, beyond-the-banner collaborations.

Snakk Media characterizes many of the blogs as "underground and ultra-hip."

Snakk delivers one-click access to multimedia content that is updated every five minutes to the mobile market.

The company's goal is to create a living, breathing network that extends beyond the standard mobile media buy.

Snakk Media is targeting advertisers and media buyers, bloggers and consumers.

Snakk's first mobile media title is 310.tv, an entertainment destination.

310.tv syndicates content from the entertainment-focused blogs to offer pop culture mavens breaking news in categories such as movies, music, celebrities and fashion

A constant stream of posts are delivered to consumers' mobile phone.

Snakk, which provides online blogs with a brand and revenue stream on mobile, will launch with more than a hundred blog partners, including GlossLip.com and BlogCritics.com.

Snakk Media claims that it enables advertisers to engage previously unreachable audiences every five minutes through its syndication of blog content and breaking news.

310.tv is accessible on any Web-enabled handset.

"Whether it's a Razr or an iPhone, consumers can access the same content -- however, we're taking advantage of the functionality of the iPhone," Mr. Kavanaugh said. "We're also building a specific BlackBerry experience, as we're currently one of their most recommended mobile sites."

Snakk Media lets bloggers upload content such as pictures, video and text messages via their mobile device.

"This is exciting, because we've launched something new and innovative that's never been done before in mobile," Mr. Kavanaugh said. "This is the first guerilla mobile marketing service for brands and agencies using a content creation model through the blogosphere.

"Our company is a mix between mobile, music and advertising backgrounds, and we're taking our cues from brands like Apple that are making technology fun and sexy and exciting," he said. "Brands and publishers understand that blogs are important and that now they're a piece of our culture, part of our lifestyle."

Snakk Media's goal is to create new advertising opportunities on its 310.tv platform.

"We want to look beyond the CPM model to offline integration opportunities such as in-venue SMS alerts at shows with a call to action to join a particular performer's fan club to help them get a good idea of who their audience is and remarket to them," Mr. Kavanaugh said.

DJ Aoki, a music artist on the Dim Mak record label, is one early adopter to the Snakk Media model.

"Going forward we want to go above and beyond the banner ad and brand integration to a whole new approach we call mobile guerilla marketing," Mr. Kavanaugh said.

"We're breathing new life into mobile by offering media buyers and their agencies, as well as brand marketers, a clean slate to create a story that reflects their brand and the specific campaign," he said.

"It's a cool opportunity for advertisers and publishers."