.mobi An open letter to MTLD: Superbowl Commercial in 2008? We need a SPARK.

[jeremyp]

Oh I wish that a Superbowl ad was in the pipeline...

A Superbowl commercial is a tremendously expensive endeavour. Between production and placement, it is a $3.8MM expense. I'm assuming the cost of an agency, a really slick ad, and a $2.8MM spend projected for a 30 second 2008 Superbowl spot.

We need just one little spark...

One spark...

Sure, a Superbowl spot is expensive. No question.

Ask Monster.com or GoDaddy.com whether the spend was worth it?

I wouldn't even suggest running this ad in 2007. The number of developed MOBI sites is just way too few and far between. The spot would be 100% educational at this time, not directed to any particular content.

In 2008, however, there will (I believe) be massive content partners on hand. The winners of the news.mobi, sports.mobi, weather.mobi and the like RFP auctions along with the hundreds of thousands of us who are the pioneer MOBIers will have a small army of sites up and running.

WHY THE SUPERBOWL?
- People don't TIVO the Superbowl. It's a live event.
- Consumers are really deep in the 12-48 male demo.
- The ads resonate for days, weeks.
- The Superbowl has been a massive catalyst for success.

HOW CAN MTLD PAY FOR THIS SPOT?
Here is my proposal. MTLD should charge a 10% assessment on every RFP or auction that will be incremental to the final bid. It's a Superbowl tax. Literally call it the Superbowl tax. I believe that if potential bidders know a Superbowl spot is coming, this will create incremental interest (in # of high value bidders as well as dollars) that will more than make up for the 10% premium. MTLD has done a great job in positioning themselves in the marketplace so far...

Don't kid yourself... News.mobi, Sports.mobi, Weather.mobi and probably 50-100 others are going to achieve valuations that blow your mind.

I'm a consumer products marketing strategist - I'm skilled in both the creative as well as brand finance. I don't have the MTLD P&L or marketing plan before me. If I did, I'm sure I could come up with many reasons that a Superbowl ad makes no financial sense.

We need to move beyond the reasonable.

This is a revolution and we need a spark... We demand a spark...

Whether the spark comes from a Superbowl ad, a massive agreement with Google or another content resource, a relationship with a huge consumer driver like American Idol, or the like, will create an awareness spark that extends beyond our current community. Can you imagine every week during American Idol - "You can vote on your mobile phone by texting to XXXX or visiting our site at www.AmericanIdol.mobi."

MTLD IS DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB SO FAR
Brilliant. I've been a domainer since 1996. I've been a CPG marketer since 1999 after a JD/MBA program. You can see my full background at www.jeremy.com. I can claim some level of expertise in identifying a good program in this space. I see one so far.

- Terrific job with the managment of the landrush phase.
- Terrific job courting the domainer community.
- Terrific job with positioning themselves in the marketplace in terms of product positioning as well as identifying a need.
- Terrific timing.

Just terrific. So far.

NOW WE NEED A SPARK.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Padawer
MobiKing

 

[yoyosean]

superbowl

so funny you say that jeremy i actually sent an email to the company re: that same exact statement : )

Sean --

Thank you for sending along your idea. I guarantee that dotMobi is
looking at all possible advertising options that make the most sense for
reaching the maximum number of interested parties while keeping within
our budget.

Again, thank you.

-- Vance

Here is the reply.

 

[vcool]

Your proposal is excellent, .mobi does need mass exposer. mTLD is doing an excellent job of reaching to the content providers and big companies, domineers etc. What is now required is the mobile users awareness to .mobi. I have lot of my friends using phone for web surfing and none have even heard about .mobi yet. Ultimately It's the mobile users who can make .mobi successful. I think you should send this letter to mTLD directly as well.

Vcool

 

[izo-pod]

Just think what a 1,000 highly motivated dot mobi web developers could do?

I don't think the Superbowl would be the place to advertise dot mobi because to have a memorable Superbowl ad you have to be funny. You just have to. And my thought would be that people would think the addresses were a joke, and not the real deal.

To succeed all MTLD has to do is energize it's base. Plain and simple. The only way for .mobi to get out of the garage is for it to be driven and seen. Once the base is amp'd, and devloping, then you'll begin to see some penetration in the general markets.

Just my .02...

 

[GeoOwners]

we can win in the trenches...I have literally told everyone I know about .mobi. As I develope sites I will MAKE them go check them out ...another example...I have collegestudents.mobi...I want to dev...then advertise in the 20 largest university newspapers in the US ...this should not really cost much...guessing $30 per issue...to reach tens of thousands of potential uniques...am I on or off?

 

[iNod]

Why not the Fifa also in Europe. Since Europe is where 90% of the mobile content users are. Or in Japan or China?

US cell phone bandwidth still costs alot for the $3.8Million I don't think it would be worth it.

- Steve

 

[mobidick]

We have a winner here! - thanks Jeremy...

I've been thinking how can we .mobi visioneers best collaborate and pool our collective smarts and ambitions? I say we make this a sticky thread devoted just to marketing .mobi...

featuring:

- ideas, suggestions, plans for marketing by mtld

- news, examples of .mobi sites being marketed

- what we are doing to market our own names


and let's invite Pinky to join this discussion;
or maybe we could call the thread: "things we'd like to see MTLD do to promote .mobi..." or something along those lines, and send an update of the thread to Pinky each week and invite his weekly feedback. I know for a fact that Google pays close attention to threads like that in webmaster forums, fuelling many of their Adwords changes.

With the synergy of hundreds of highly motivated bright domainers working toward the same aim, I don't see how we couldn't come up with more than a few winners for MTLD, that they haven't thought of yet, as well as boost our own marketing campaigns.

:imho: If .mobi catches on among mainstream mobile users, we may see walled gardens torn down, and .mobi defaults, keys, menu items, etc. with the regging of millions of .mobis 5-10 years from now, rather than a few hundred thousand; it all comes down to marketing and timing.

And I think Pinky would be clever to take up Jeremy's challenge - if not the Superbowl, than something else - yes, it would help spark our own development and marketing enthusiasm, just to know such a big push was coming... what do you say Pinky? Are you in?

 

[GeoOwners]

We have a winner here! - thanks Jeremy...

I've been thinking how can we .mobi visioneers best collaborate and pool our collective smarts and ambitions? I say we make this a sticky thread devoted just to marketing .mobi...

featuring:

- ideas, suggestions, plans for marketing by mtld

- news, examples of .mobi sites being marketed

- what we are doing to market our own names


and let's invite Pinky to join this discussion;
or maybe we could call the thread: "things we'd like to see MTLD do to promote .mobi..." or something along those lines, and send an update of the thread to Pinky each week and invite his weekly feedback. I know for a fact that Google pays close attention to threads like that in webmaster forums, fuelling many of their Adwords changes.

With the synergy of hundreds of highly motivated bright domainers working toward the same aim, I don't see how we couldn't come up with more than a few winners for MTLD, that they haven't thought of yet, as well as boost our own marketing campaigns.

:imho: If .mobi catches on among mainstream mobile users, we may see walled gardens torn down, and .mobi defaults, keys, menu items, etc. with the regging of millions of .mobis 5-10 years from now, rather than a few hundred thousand; it all comes down to marketing and timing.

And I think Pinky would be clever to take up Jeremy's challenge - if not the Superbowl, than something else - yes, it would help spark our own development and marketing enthusiasm, just to know such a big push was coming... what do you say Pinky? Are you in?

maybe all us ".mobi-namepros-lovers" should get together and form our own giant .mobi company :kickass: putting all our ideas together and kicking mobile _ss

 

[iNod]

maybe all us ".mobi-namepros-lovers" should get together and form our own giant .mobi company :kickass: putting all our ideas together and kicking mobile _ss

Reminds me of something I am doing lol..

- Steve

 

[domeinfreak]

Already posted it in another thread, but what to think about this company, see www.asapplc.com

These guys definitely can create a .mobi sparkle...be it small

 

[anurag]

Why I need .mobi for this, any website user is able to see in mobile will do.

Why we need one more ext ( I am not kidding)

 

[the_yehezkiel]

Thats a great idea........
Now, everybody lets support the MOBI's....

 

[briman1970]

Why I need .mobi for this, any website user is able to see in mobile will do.

Why we need one more ext ( I am not kidding)

Oh my... a day late and a dollar short.

 

[mobidick]

Speaking of marketing...

Who would you say the future of .mobi depends on?

Some would say (myself included) the marketers, the developers, the domainers, the partners, the search engines, the providers, etc.

But aren't we forgetting the folks who truly hold the keys to tomorrow - namely, the kids, the students of the digital world? We old curmudgeons are what's holding things back, because we who still hold most of the purse, grew up in quite a different reality to the one our kids are inheriting.

My point is this: suppose young people, who missed the chance to get a .com, realize they can still get a cute little .mobi to show off to their friends... or suppose they all associate .mobi with mobile adventure, fun and games... make it their own, and suppose that secure phone chips enter the scene by which parents can limit and monitor their kids spending via their phones without the need for carrying cash, which combined with the plethora of other multimedia worlds opening up to them through this one little device we call a mobile...

I know I'm beginning to ramble on the edge of incoherence here, but I think you catch my drift... we can barely even imagine today the mobile possibilities, that may well be our kids' reality tomorrow. I happened to catch a glimpse of this 'tomorrow' in my recent trip to Korea - kids on buses, subways, at the park or mall... cell phones attached like an appendage.

...anyways, if the kids catch on to .mobi watch out!:imho:

Superbowl could be one great way to appeal to the kids. I imagine Pinky would do well to push development of .mobi on the campuses; isn't that where the microsofts, yahoos and googles are born?

On a smaller scale I'm concocting my own plan to hit the schools and colleges with my bag of .mobis - one of those darn plans - you know - that doesn't let you get to sleep at night because your mind won't stop racing. I can't share specifics yet, but I'd sure like to explore this general theme with you guys - what say you?

 

[GeoOwners]

Speaking of marketing...

Who would you say the future of .mobi depends on?

Some would say (myself included) the marketers, the developers, the domainers, the partners, the search engines, the providers, etc.

But aren't we forgetting the folks who truly hold the keys to tomorrow - namely, the kids, the students of the digital world? We old curmudgeons are what's holding things back, because we who still hold most of the purse, grew up in quite a different reality to the one our kids are inheriting.

My point is this: suppose young people, who missed the chance to get a .com, realize they can still get a cute little .mobi to show off to their friends... or suppose they all associate .mobi with mobile adventure, fun and games... make it their own, and suppose that secure phone chips enter the scene by which parents can limit and monitor their kids spending via their phones without the need for carrying cash, which combined with the plethora of other multimedia worlds opening up to them through this one little device we call a mobile...

I know I'm beginning to ramble on the edge of incoherence here, but I think you catch my drift... we can barely even imagine today the mobile possibilities, that may well be our kids' reality tomorrow. I happened to catch a glimpse of this 'tomorrow' in my recent trip to Korea - kids on buses, subways, at the park or mall... cell phones attached like an appendage.

...anyways, if the kids catch on to .mobi watch out!:imho:

Superbowl could be one great way to appeal to the kids. I imagine Pinky would do well to push development of .mobi on the campuses; isn't that where the microsofts, yahoos and googles are born?

On a smaller scale I'm concocting my own plan to hit the schools and colleges with my bag of .mobis - one of those darn plans - you know - that doesn't let you get to sleep at night because your mind won't stop racing. I can't share specifics yet, but I'd sure like to explore this general theme with you guys - what say you?

100 % agree...I know what you mean about sleeping...I keep getting up and going to check things I think of

 

[jeremyp]

This is an outstanding point.

A MySpace like application for the mobile web targeting tweens+.

SPARK.

Big spark.

Sparkarooni!

Jeremy

Speaking of marketing...

Who would you say the future of .mobi depends on?

Some would say (myself included) the marketers, the developers, the domainers, the partners, the search engines, the providers, etc.

But aren't we forgetting the folks who truly hold the keys to tomorrow - namely, the kids, the students of the digital world? We old curmudgeons are what's holding things back, because we who still hold most of the purse, grew up in quite a different reality to the one our kids are inheriting.

My point is this: suppose young people, who missed the chance to get a .com, realize they can still get a cute little .mobi to show off to their friends... or suppose they all associate .mobi with mobile adventure, fun and games... make it their own, and suppose that secure phone chips enter the scene by which parents can limit and monitor their kids spending via their phones without the need for carrying cash, which combined with the plethora of other multimedia worlds opening up to them through this one little device we call a mobile...

I know I'm beginning to ramble on the edge of incoherence here, but I think you catch my drift... we can barely even imagine today the mobile possibilities, that may well be our kids' reality tomorrow. I happened to catch a glimpse of this 'tomorrow' in my recent trip to Korea - kids on buses, subways, at the park or mall... cell phones attached like an appendage.

...anyways, if the kids catch on to .mobi watch out!:imho:

Superbowl could be one great way to appeal to the kids. I imagine Pinky would do well to push development of .mobi on the campuses; isn't that where the microsofts, yahoos and googles are born?

On a smaller scale I'm concocting my own plan to hit the schools and colleges with my bag of .mobis - one of those darn plans - you know - that doesn't let you get to sleep at night because your mind won't stop racing. I can't share specifics yet, but I'd sure like to explore this general theme with you guys - what say you?

 

[rickkumar]

I suggest the following to mobi registry:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do NOT give away the 6000 or so premium names in RFQ process.

Instead, keep auctioning the domains in open public auctions to raise loads of funds.

Use these millions to do the following:

1. Market the mobi TLD to masses via tv, radio, web, etc.

2. Provide "free and easy" software to mobi developers to make the mobi sites development fun and easy for a layman.

3. Give incentives to browser makers and mobile device makers to enable the web to default to .mobi sites

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[DropLister]

so why would people watching a football game want a .mobi? Target market guys gotta keep that in mind when advertising.

 

[movingconcierge]

How many fantasy football sites are there?

so why would people watching a football game want a .mobi? Target market guys gotta keep that in mind when advertising.

 

[GeoOwners]

I suggest the following to mobi registry:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do NOT give away the 6000 or so premium names in RFQ process.

Instead, keep auctioning the domains in open public auctions to raise loads of funds.

Use these millions to do the following:

1. Market the mobi TLD to masses via tv, radio, web, etc.

2. Provide "free and easy" software to mobi developers to make the mobi sites development fun and easy for a layman.

3. Give incentives to browser makers and mobile device makers to enable the web to default to .mobi sites

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once they,ve auctioned them all off...why would they spend millions promoting? They wouldnt have anything left to sell