Mobile Marketing Case Study - USA TODAY (Dwango Wireless)

Brand:       USA TODAY

Company:  DWANGO WIRELESS

Goals <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

·          Increase acquisition of a younger readership demographic for <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />USA TODAY.

·          Strengthen retention relationships with existing readers of the print publication.

·          Establish an additional revenue source for USA TODAY.

Solution

USA TODAY partnered with Dwango Wireless to launch TEXT & WIN, a premium short message service (SMS) sweepstakes program that allows readers to use their mobile phones to participate in daily newspaper polls and enter to win weekly and grand prizes.

Through TEXT & WIN, USA TODAY readers responded to daily polling questions posed in the Life and Sports sections of the newspaper by sending a text message via their SMS enabled mobile phones to the numerical short code 46872 or GOUSA. Each text message entry cost $0.50 and every entry is another chance to win. Prizes awarded weekly include 20" flat screen TVs, portable DVD players and DVD movie box sets. Grand prizes included two trips for two: a "Champagne Wishes" trip to Hollywood and an "Ultimate Football Fan Trip" to Hawaii.

Why Dwango Wireless

USA TODAY selected Dwango because of its industry leading experience and successful execution of producing, publishing and promoting mobile entertainment for top lifestyle brands.  Dwango also created and managed USA TODAY’s polling platform for TEXT & WIN, as well as the program’s advertising, prizing and reporting components for the duration of the campaign. Dwango’s ability to provide a turn key solution for USA TODAY’s mobile sweepstakes solution while providing a suite of services and tools to ensure the success of the program sealed its decision to select Dwango Wireless.

Results

By partnering with Dwango Wireless, USA TODAY successfully extended its brand by providing readers with a quick and easy way to interact with the publication via a mobile channel. Over 5.2 million USA TODAY readers can now connect with the brand by expressing their opinions through their mobile phone which is a constant companion for most people. In the process, USA TODAY has increased reader loyalty and developed an additional revenue source for the company. With the launch of the USA TODAY mobile sweepstakes program, a new market opportunity has also opened for Dwango to create subsequent partnerships with other media companies as well. 

“TEXT & WIN is a fun and engaging way for millions of our readers to interact with the publication on an entirely new level,” said Jeff Webber, senior vice president and publisher of USATODAY.com. “This mobile sweepstakes gives our readers the ability to utilize mobile technology to express their opinions about a variety of topics.” USATODAY.com manages mobile-technology efforts for the USA TODAY brand.