We recently told you about Barack Obama's text messaged VP announcement. WSJ has some closure on the story:

The Obama campaign's decision to announce the likely Democratic nominee's vice-presidential pick via text message was perhaps the highest-profile platform yet for the burgeoning medium. The campaign appeared to have largely pulled off the feat.

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AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel, the three largest wireless carriers in the U.S., reported no major issues, though they noted that text campaigns don't send every message simultaneously. A Sprint spokesman said it delivered the majority of its text messages during the first hour, with the last batch delivered about 5 a.m.

Read more at the Wall Street Journal or visit Club Texting to learn about text messaging for political campaigns.

Bad news for bad drivers:

Every day there are thousands who drive on this nation’s highways like they own the road, speeding, weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating and blowing their horns in anger. Now, consumers can report them via SMS.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, one-third of all accidents and two-thirds of all vehicle-related fatalities are caused by aggressive drivers, and for the millions who carry mobile phones in their cars, there is now a supposedly easy and safe way to report them. Text Them In lets consumers anonymously report dangerous drivers by sending a text message from their handset.

Read more at Mobile Marketer.

Earlier, we told you about how Obama would be announcing his VP pick via text message. So how did it go?

The market researcher estimates that 2.9 million U.S. mobile subscribers received a text message from the Obama campaign Aug. 22-24.

“The VP message was sent in the late hours of Friday night and is, by many accounts, the single largest mobile marketing event in the U.S., to date,” said Nic Covey, Chicago-based director of insights at Nielsen Mobile.

Head over to Mobile Marketer to read more, or visit Club Texting to learn about mobile marketing for political campaigns.

Moving beyond mobile marketing, Polo Ralph Lauren is stepping into mobile commerce:

Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. has launched a mobile commerce service to let consumers buy products through their handsets.

How is Polo combining their mobile marketing efforts with their new mobile commerce program?

Consumers can sign up for Ralph Lauren mobile alerts by texting RALPH LAUREN to 23000 or by going to the mobile site and entering their mobile number.

The SMS alerts tell consumers about store openings, events and other initiatives that Ralph Lauren is launching.

By leveraging QR code technology, Ralph Lauren will offer consumers the opportunity to shop via their camera phones by scanning the QR code appearing in print advertisements, store windows and mailers.

The QR codes will link consumers directly to Ralph Lauren's limited edition 2008 U.S. Open Collection - as well as sell Ralph Lauren Classics including Polos, Oxfords and Chinos.

Read more at Mobile Marketer, or head over to Club Texting's retail messaging site.

In the past we've covered the Obama campaigns effective use of text messaging. Now comes even more exciting news:

You know it's a new era when a US Presidential candidate plans to make a major announcement using a new technology. The campaign of Barack Obama has announced on the blog for its social network that it will be announcing Obama's Vice Presidential running mate first by mobile text message and email.

Read more at ReadWriteWeb or head over to the Obama campaign site to read the official announcement of the text messaging program.

Click to learn about Club Texting's text messaging solutions for political campaigns.

Great news for Netflix users and anyone who shops on Amazon.com:

Consumers can now update their Netflix queue and Amazon Wish Lists right from their mobile phone, without getting onto the Internet.

So how does it work?

Consumers sign up at http://www.kwiry.com, where they are asked to fill out their Netflix and Amazon account information.

Then, if a friend recommends a movie at lunch, users can simply text "NETFLIX” followed by the movie title to kwiry's short code, 59479.

Kwiry automatically adds the movie to the user’s Netflix queue and the movie arrives on their doorstep.

Read more at Mobile Marketer.

Rising fuel prices + text messaging = NASCAR's Drive $marter Challenge

NASCAR teamed up with the Alliance to Save Energy for the campaign, which will feature care tips on NASCAR's reality television show, "NASCAR Angels." The second aspect of the campaign will focus on providing fuel-efficiency tips to consumers on their mobile phones.

Read more at Mobile Marketer.

Justin Oberman of mopocket discusses Chase's successful Text-2-Win US Open campaign:

As I was saying, from June 9th to August 9th all over New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, ads on top of taxi cabs, on bus shelters, on payphone kiosks, on billboards and in the subways Chase advertisements are drawing your attention (in text speak) to send the text message “Win” to the shortcode “CHASE (24273) for a chance to win free tickets to the Open. The exact reading being something like “Tennis ne1?” or “Cu @ the Open” followed by a much smaller print saying

“You could win US Open Tickets.
Text ‘Win’ to Chase (24273) Now”

Chase will immediately text back entrants to notify them if they’ve won or lost.

Click here to read more @ mopocket.
Click here for more information about Club Texting's Text-2-Win Program.

The Olympic Games in Beijing have begun...but how to stay up to date?

According to the Mobile Marketing Association, sponsoring companies and others are offering mobile consumers news, incentives, games and Olympic content “in a new and exciting way.”

Read more @ TMCNet.com.

The NYPD steps into the 21st Century:

In an effort to involve younger citizens, the New York City Police Department unveiled a way to send in tips via text message.

Texting CRIMES, or 274637, on a cell phone, will begin a text conversation with detectives who will be standing by at the police department. To begin, users must precede their message with the code, "TIP577," which will then create an alias to ensure anonymity. In case of danger, police said, a user can conclude a message with the word "stop," which will keep him or her from receiving any further messages from the police.

Read more @ The Sun (via Gothamist)

Europe, always a couple of years ahead of the States when it comes to SMS is trying out an innovative new SMS concept:

Orange has run the world's first in-SMS advertising trial in Switzerland in partnership with Amobee Media Systems, a provider of advertising solutions for mobile phones. Several major brands participated in the project.

Orange ran a trial with SMS-embedded ads in Switzerland to leverage the mobile advertising potential in European markets.

Read more @ MarketWatch.

If you were in New York last summer you remember this:

When torrential rains shut down nearly the entire subway system last Aug. 8, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority was unable to provide quick information to riders. Its Web site crashed. And other means of delivering information like cellphone alerts, downloadable maps and electronic message boards were not available.

The M.T.A. has listened to your complaints:

Chastened by the criticism, the authority commissioned a study of what went wrong and proposed a number of fixes, including developing a system of customized e-mail and text message alerts for each subway line so riders could be informed about problems.

That notification service will be unveiled in September.
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But the “Big Kahuna,” Mr. Boylan said in a telephone interview, is the new system of real-time text alerts. Customers will be able to select information for specific subway, bus or railroad lines. “You’re going to self-select what you want, how much you want and when you want it,” Mr. Boylan said.

Read more at the New York Times.

A new report ABI Research explains just how important SMS based marketing is:

MS will continue to maintain its lead as the highest revenue generator across all messaging categories, providing global service revenues of $177 billion in 2013.

Read more at MarketWatch

IKEA has launched a mobile loyalty program to build a database of consumers interested in receiving discounts from the home furnishings retailer.

So how does it work?

The calls to action for the mobile loyalty program are posted online and promoted via email campaigns.
In-store signage asks consumers to text IKEA1 to short code 30364.

Texters get a message back letting them know that they will be receiving at least one IKEA message per week with deals, games and alerts.

Users can opt out by texting the word STOP to the short code 30364.

A few seconds after opting-in, consumers receive their first coupon and are instructed to bring it into the store to scan it at an IKEA mobile kiosk. The kiosks print a physical coupon.

Read more @ Mobile Marketer
Read about Club Texting's mobile couponing solutions.

Because you can never gamble enough while you're in Vegas, a new casino is planning on deploying mobile gaming devices:

The M Resort, Spa and Casino will partner with Cantor Gaming to provide mobile gaming at the $1 billion Las Vegas property.

The casino is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2009 on South Las Vegas Boulevard, known as the “South Strip.” Pending approval by the Nevada Gaming Commission and Nevada Control Board, Cantor’s eDeck handheld devices will enable mobile gaming in designated areas throughout the resort, including the pool area, casino bars, clubs, restaurants and M’s race and sports book.
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Mobile gaming will permit the play of familiar casino-style games, such as slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and poker, within the casino property, yet away from the confines of the traditional casino floor.

Read more @ Mobile Marketer.

Anheuser-Busch, maker of the Budweiser and Bud Light beers, is tapping into mobile via a text-to-win sweepstakes.

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Consumers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia are asked to text BUD to 839863 to enter the “Gas Up and Go” SMS sweepstakes.

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When consumers text in they get a message back thanking them for entering the contest. There is also a link to the sweepstake's microsite at http://www.budcm.com/freegas, which provides them with more information regarding the promotion.

The initial call-to-action can be found on in-store signage. This campaign will run July 1 through Aug. 31. The winner will be selected in a random drawing on Sept. 1.

Anheuser-Busch’s text-to-win sweepstakes replaced its former paper sign-ups, in part because people would often steal tear-pad registration sheets.

Read more at Mobile Marketer.
Or head over to Club Texting for more information about text messaging contests.

Athletic shoemaker Puma has launched a mobile marketing program, "'Together Everywhere" around the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Euro 2008 games.

The effort features ringtone alerts and automatic, free conference calling where fans of different soccer teams can talk sports. The mobile campaign is in 13 different European countries.

So what's the why and how?

Puma is promoting with press, posters and online advertising. A mobile media banner ad campaign is also running in select markets. All ads include a short or long code to which fans can text the word PUMA in order to sign up. Fans can also sign up via the pumafootball.com Web site.

Supporters will gain access to the program through tags that come with Puma's new v1.08 Tricks boot that hit stores in May. Access is also via Republic of Football advertisements and pumafootball.com.

Read more at MarketingDaily.

Cash-strapped young mobile phone users don't mind ad-supported content--but there is a price tag. They want it for free--or nearly free.

A study by the U.K.-based Mobixell Networks, an mobile advertising network, says 35% of 16- to-35-year-olds would use more ad-funded multimedia messaging services (MMS) if those services were offered for free or at a discount. Twenty-nine percent also say they would use more video services if offered for free or at a discount.

Read more @ MediaDailyNews

Business Week presents an interesting theory:

There's only one Web. At least that's been the standard response in many tech circles to the emergence of the wireless Web. The point? No matter how you get online, be it by PC or smartphone, you'll still do the same things on the Web, using roughly the same sites and services. Really?
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Welcome to the weekend Web, where people are spending a bigger slice of time online via wireless devices—and using a different set of sites than during the workweek.

For a mobile marketer this presents many demographic challenges and opportunities. Read more at BusinessWeek.

Rock the Vote has a short code R-T-V-O-T-E (788683) and they just sent us a text saying "Welcome to Rock the Vote! Your place 4 events, election info & how u can make a diff this election year. Txt HELP 4 help, STOP 2 quit. Other charges may apply."

For more information on this political promotion, and to sign up visit the official site.

Click for more information about Club Texting's services for political campaigns.