3FER: 20 June 2013

#1: Target’s App Accelerator

Internal innovation is tough for most enterprise-level companies, and Target is no exception. That’s why the retailing giant struck a partnership with FastCompany’s Co.Labs to uncover app innovators. Judging from the mix of winning finalists, the effort’s proving successful: http://bit.ly/122x8ZB

#2: Think Behavior–Not Equipment

Those who get caught up in “new shiny thingies” in their mobile efforts are often left little. (Think of the hordes of dead apps created after executives got a smartphone.) It’s better to map your mobile to your customers’ behaviors first, then fill in the tactics. Here’s a great AdAge piece on how this thinking applies to mobile advertising: http://bit.ly/11ATPB8

#3: 20 Mobile Startups to Watch

A lack of resources and big barriers to entry often drive revolutions. And while the mobile innovations we see stateside are often “cute” (think SnapChat), the real mobile revolution is happening where we least expect it. Mashable highlights 20 mobile startups that you need to track…from Africa: http://bit.ly/11AUouz

The Dirty Truth About Smartphone Owners

Pew’s recent study on US smartphone ownership offers that 56% of Americans now own a smartphone. What’s impressive is that it was 46% in April 2012.

The dirty truth is that those numbers are actually quite higher.

Here are the specific demographic groups of smartphone owners:

90% of millennials (18-29) with incomes exceeding $75K
60% of Hispanic Americans
64% of African Americans
- 16% are iOS users
- 42% are Android users
Men edge out women as users, 59% to 53% respectively
Those reporting “no cell phone” dropped from 17% in 2011 to 9% today

2013-06-08-different perspective — Income impact smartphone ownership differently depending on age

Marketers who are trying to reach any of these audiences best pay attention.

3FER: 6 June 2013

#1: Mobile the Walmart Way

Forrester provides a great summary from the CTIA presentation of Gibu Thomas, Walmart’s Global Head of Mobile. Here’s a tasty tidbit: Walmart’s mobile-engaged shoppers spend 77% more each month and make four more trips per month: http://bit.ly/13dpB8j

#2: Coco-Cola, Free Tickets & SMS

Coca-Cola’s is pushing free coupons and concerts tickets to VitaminWater buyers via SMS. When they text a special code inside the cap and they keyword TEXT2TIX to a shortcode, Coca-Cola sends 75 cent coupon and enters them to win free Live Nation concert tickets. More in Mobile Marketer: http://bit.ly/ZqMCaU

#3: Smartphones & Americans

Pew Research is one of the few organizations who’ve tracked the impact of mobile across many areas of American society. So when they publish data on smartphone ownership trends, it’s always a must read for marketers and app developers: http://bit.ly/13dw2bC