Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Cellit Offers Interactive Theater Text Message Service

What a great idea. Why not use the captive audience at a movie theater to introduce a text message campaign?

Cellit, LLC announced today its landmark agreement with Cinema Screen Media, LLC (CSM) to provide mobile marketing services to CSM’s clients.

CSM’s on-screen advertisers will now be able to incorporate text messaging features into their pre-movie slideshow display, creating innovative, interactive promotions. CSM will start offering these services in the Phoenix metro area, while planning for a national roll-out.

Using Cellit’s technology, moviegoers can interact with specific promotions showcased in the pre-movie slideshow. By texting the advertiser’s selected keyword to a special 5-digit phone number included in the pre-movie slideshow, the audience can obtain additional product information, text their vote on a topic, or participate in games and contests.

The advertiser can also better understand advertising effectiveness through using different “text in” keywords in different theaters or in different ads.

Two questions I have.

Is there a strong enough cell signal in most theaters for this to work. (Did they test strength?)

How do they make sure response text messages aren't sent during the movie?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is David from Cellit. Thanks for posting this, Scott.

To answer your question:
We have found that most people do have cell coverage in the theater so that they can send the messages. What's great about the technology, is that if there ISN'T cell coverage, the phone will store the message to deliver it after the moviegoer leaves the theater!

To respond to your second point, these ads appear on the screens BEFORE the previews. When people text in, they get back their message right away... WAY before the movie begins. We even have some advertisers who send back messages reminding users to turn off their phones. We also have advertisers who are planning on sending timed messages (3 hours after the text in) to ask how the movie was.

Hope this answers your concerns.

No Name said...

"Sending timed messages to ask how the movie was"....very creative.

Think of the endless marketing possibilities with this information.

Anonymous said...

This has to rate right up there with one of the stupidest ideas of the year. Let me see...
1. #1 complaint for theatre goers in the last year...people yacking on cell phones...
2. do they run this promotion before or after the Cingular/Verizon/T/Sprint movie clip that tells everyone to turn their cell phone off.
3. texting in the dark...will definitley cut down on your take rate.
While Im not really looking to slam you as a company and do not wish you bad luck you are going to need Good luck Cellit...you are particpating in a race to the bottom and soetimes it gets crowded..