eMarketing Mobile: Tapping Into Mobile’s Power and Reach

The mobile phone that nearly every American carries with them every day—and the common text message technology that you use to communicate with your family, friends, and peers—is causing disruptive changes in this post-DTC age of pharma and healthcare. Just as the Internet changed the way business communicates and distributes information and the way the public consumes it, so the widespread adoption of mobile device technology and text messaging has stimulated a similar monumental shift in consumer behavior.

If you have children, you probably already know that text messaging is not something that “only kids do.” If you don’t have children, consider the fact that the fastest-growing age demographic of SMS (a commonly used acronym for text messaging) users in the U.S. is 50 to 64 year olds (Pew Internet & American Life Project Survey, December 2007). Additionally, a 2009 Limbo report showed that 50% of SMS users in the U.S. are 35 and older. For 25 and older, that number jumps to 75%. The bottom line: all of your end consumers are text messaging.

Solving Business Challenges

“Until recently, SMS didn’t carry a connotation as a tool that solved business challenges. But once businesses understood the immediacy, reach, and cost-effectiveness of SMS, they began to realize the potential it can have within their everyday operations,” states John Duffy, founder and CEO of mobile platform provider 3Cinteractive. “SMS provides the most ubiquitous and effective way to reach consumers. Every phone in the U.S. today is capable of sending and receiving text messages. We make it easy for pharma and healthcare related businesses to tap into mobile’s power and reach. We make the barrier to entry very low for our clients.”

3Cinteractive, which helps companies develop and deploy mobile initiatives, experiences firsthand the powerful and immediate impact mobile campaigns can have in healthcare. “We developed SMS-based applications with a major pharmaceutical manufacturer that deliver a rebate coupon for brand-name prescriptions to a consumer’s mobile phone while they are at the pharmacy counter. This rebate can be redeemed right at the point of sale, helping pharmaceutical companies extend the revenue streams on brand-name drugs and stem the consumer shift to generics,” says Duffy.

“Additionally, we’ve deployed a mobile messaging solution for a national healthcare staffing company that allows them to reach out to their completely mobile workforce of 70,000 nurses instantly to notify them of staffing openings and important job-related updates. It has completely streamlined their staffing communications and driven down costs dramatically.”

mHealth Initiatives

The focus on mHealth solutions using mobile phones goes beyond mobile and healthcare-related businesses. CTIA, the non-profit wireless advocacy group that represents all sectors of the wireless industry, has engaged the U.S. government directly to help facilitate the adoption of mHealth initiatives by hosting mHealth policy forums. These forums allow government officials and wireless industry experts to work together to promote mHealth solutions that significantly drive down healthcare costs and increase the efficiency of delivering healthcare.

3Cinteractive is CTIA’s exclusive mobile technology partner, helping educate and inform the healthcare industry of the benefits associated with implementing mHealth strategies. “The cost reduction we have seen by deploying SMS applications in hospitals and medical centers is significant,” says 3Cinteractive’s VP of Industry Relations, John Styers, who works closely with CTIA on mHealth. “Reliable data is starting to surface showing that SMS applications have significantly increased patient compliance with drug and medical device treatments. This not only improves patient health, but drives down the costs associated with non-compliance—which are estimated to be $100 billion annually in the U.S.”

Considering the strong national focus on reducing healthcare costs, and the demonstrated ability of mobile messaging to not only reduce costs but also improve the effectiveness of delivering care, a perfect storm is brewing around mHealth. And the device that you carry with you everyday in your pocket might alter the healthcare
landscape forever.

This article originally appeared in the March 2010 issue of PM360.

Juan Silva, Senior Developer

Juan Silva, who works out of 3Ci’s Montevideo, Uruguay development center, is one of the company’s senior developers. Juan’s day to day focus is on coding and developing the mobile applications that power 3Ci’s Switchblade mobile platform. His responsibilities range from software and database design to product support, giving him a wide ranging knowledge of the mobile technology environment.

Juan began his development career as a 16-year-old high school student, when he started developing websites on a freelance basis. Years later, at the age of 20, Juan got his first shot as a development team leader at a local technology firm. His early start as a developer and his strong knowledge of mobile technology have made him one of the youngest developers on the 3Ci team.

Juan likes to be up to date with the latest programing trends, enjoying web related languages, especially CSS and JavaScript. In his free time Juan enjoys spending time at the beach and frequenting car racing events. Juan’s family includes his wife Viviana and daughter Avril.

- Jeff Michaud

3Cinteractive was the proud sponsor of the first ever Advertising Agency panel discussion during the Mobile Marketing Forum in New York City June 10 & 11 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square Hotel.

3Ci Business Development VP, Jeremy Martin, was the moderator of the panel that included advertising execs from agencies such as The Hyperfactory, Starcom USA and GroupM. “Being able to host the first ever agency focused panel discussion at the MMF was a great experience for myself and 3Ci as a company,” said Jeremy Martin. “Just by the types of attendees at this show, it was clear that now is the right time to have this ad agency panel. The number of advertising and media agencies here are clearly
at an all-time high, and that signifies the clear understanding of the agency world that they must have mobile solutions for their clients,” Martin added.

The panel discussion touched on topics such as how the business models that most mobile marketing companies use is far different than that of the traditional agency model. Most importantly, the majority of the discussion was focused on how to best integrate companies like 3Ci, who are specialists in mobile, into the agency process. The large crowd who stayed to hear the panel at the end of the last day of the show further displayed the agency world’s focus on mobile.

- Jeff Michaud

Niki Dunbar, 3Ci’s Program & Compliance Manager is a tremendous part of 3Ci’s success in the mobile marketing space. Niki’s main responsibilities at 3Cinteractive include taking a client’s ideas for a mobile campaign and implementing a carrier compliant program that meets both the client’s marketing needs and
adheres to distinct carrier requirements.

Niki’s focus on managing the daily relationships with 3Ci clients, vendors, and the mobile carriers combined with her deep understanding of industry standards and policies contribute greatly in distinguishing 3Ci in the marketplace. Niki developed her skills in her 7-year career in the online payment processing industry where her dealings with credit card associations and guidelines closely mimic those of the MMA and carriers in the mobile space. When she’s not hanging out with her cat Zoey, Niki enjoys spending time outdoors where her hobbies include camping, kayaking, sky diving and relaxing on South Florida beaches. Niki is a native of Pittsburgh where her parents, Fred and Theresa, and sisters Dezaria and Stephanie still live today.

- Jeff Michaud

Juan Nin, General Manager, South America - Development

Juan Nin is the General Manager of 3Ci’s South American Development Office. His daily responsibilities include general management, head of development and server management.  He has extensive experience in mobile development and carrier integrations and recently led 3Ci’s SMS integration with Brazilian mobile carriers.

Juan is a leader in the mobile development community and is actively involved in the open source WURFL roject and web neutrality efforts.  Prior to joining 3Ci, Juan’s experience included managing international projects for several multi-national corporations and teaching Linux server administration, maintenance and security.

Juan takes great pride in the areas of research, progress and innovation.  He is always up to date on the latest technology including UNIX, Linux, Mac devices and mobile technology.  He recently picked up surfing as a hobby and is a former drummer in Lapso, a Uruguayan rock band.  His family includes his wife Luciana, his mother Susana, brother Massimilano and his father Jorge.

- Jeff Michaud