Tag Archives: sports

Feb 15 2013

US iOS users ‘biggest fans of mobile gaming’

Summary: Mobile users with iOS-powered phones in the US are more likely to indulge in mobile gaming than people with Android devices.

Consumers in the US are mad about playing games on their mobiles and iOS users are more likely to engage in the activities than those with Android-powered handsets.

This is according to a new report published by Arbitron, which revealed 85.7 per cent of iPhone owners access games regularly on their devices, compared to just over three-quarters (76 per cent) of individuals with Android phone mobiles.

People in the former group were found to access an average of 151.5 sessions every month, while Android gamers went on the applications an average of 94.6 times each four-week period.

In terms of how long individuals played games for, again usage among iPhone owners soared above that of consumers with Android phones. The typical iOS user played a game for 12 hours and 12 minutes a month, whereas this figure was eight hours and four minutes for Android users.

The Arbitron Mobile Trends Panel further discovered mobile gamers – who accounted for 78.8 per cent of the subjects examined by the firm – spent far more time on gaming applications than smartphone users did on other apps and functions like social media, messaging and calling.

Words With Friends, it was noted, was one of the most popular games among the US respondents in December 2012 and the game has more active users among iPhone owners than Android customers.

Other popular titles across both platforms included Fruit Ninja, Temple Run, Angry Birds Star Wars, Drag Racing, Scramble with Friends and Draw Something. With the latter game, iOS users spent 85.3 minutes of every month playing it, while those with Android-powered devices went on the function for 95.4 minutes during the same period, showing it is not always iPhone owners who play games the most.

With mobile games come plenty of advertising opportunities and it is wise for mobile marketers to use this window to their advantage. Especially with a group like gamers – who have been found to spend lots of time glued to their handsets – there is the chance to grab consumers’ attention while they are on the move.

Dynmark helps gaming companies engage customers through fully automated SMS communications; from welcome and activation to in-play bets and service messages. With proven experience integrating with gaming platforms such as Playtech, Dynmark has been providing SMS messaging and services to the gaming industry since 2006. Read more about Dynmark’s gaming experience here.

Feb 6 2013

Super Bowl brings opportunities for mobile marketers

Summary: The majority of US consumers were active on their mobiles during the Super Bowl.

Around one-third of the US population tuned in to watch the 47th Super Bowl at the weekend (February 3rd), with 82 per cent of people thought to use their mobile device during the game.

This is according to mobile ad network Mojiva, which stated most people went on their phones during the match to discuss the game via text, email or instant messaging (26 per cent) or post to social networks about the event (21 per cent), Mobile Marketing Magazine reports.

Selphi Shaphira, chief executive of mobile ad platform Massive Impact, told the news provider that advertising throughout the Super Bowl takes the spotlight just as much as the game itself. She added: “With mobile advertising, there is finally a unique opportunity to personalise ads in real-time, targeting individual interests and geo-location.”

The expert also said it is crucial for mobile advertising to be effective, as the Super Bowl marks a time when people are actively engaged with content and they are more likely to take an interest in the products of the advertiser.

It is likely consumers were also using their smartphones to access bet-in-play functions and place odds on who they thought the winning side would be.

There are other ways in which mobile marketers have been able to benefit from the Super Bowl and second-screening service Zeebox used the event to host a ‘virtual viewing party’. Through the application, users were able to access game stats, interact with other fans and take part in live polls, as well as enter American football-related quizzes.

It also included the option to receive live updates – which is likely to have been useful for people unable to watch the game – and play on the Buzz Bubbler feature, which showed which mobile ads were gathering the most interest through a voting mechanism.

Meanwhile, location-based social media platform Banjo uploaded images directly from the Super Bowl in order to give viewers the impression of being in the stadium.

Jennifer Peck, director of engagement at Banjo, said the company’s ability to show the game through the eyes of attendees provided “a completely immersive experience for fans around the world”.

http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/content/how-mobile-super-bowl-xlvii

Dynmark helps gaming companies engage customers through fully automated SMS communications; from welcome and activation to in-play bets and service messages. With proven experience integrating with gaming platforms such as Playtech, Dynmark has been providing SMS messaging and services to the gaming industry since 2006. Read more about Dynmark’s gaming experience here.

Sep 27 2012

Live sports boosting mobile video viewing

Summary: New report shows that 84 per cent of mobile video users have gone on to increase their mobile video consumption after watching an Olympic event on the move

The majority of UK mobile phone users who have watched a live sporting event on their phone subsequently increased the amount of videos they viewed on the move, a new study has revealed.

QuickPlay Media has published the results of a survey which revealed that more than half (52 per cent) of mobile video users watched at least one Olympic event on either a smartphone or tablet computer over the summer.

The poll of UK mobile subscribers aged between 18 and 44 also showed that, of those who have opted to view a major sporting event on a mobile device, 84 per cent have since gone on to increase their mobile video consumption after having a positive experience first time around.

In fact, a third of this group said that they are now watching significantly more mobile videos than they were before watching their first live sporting event.

Overall, the number of people who are watching video on a smartphone or tablet computer has risen by 12 per cent over the past 12 months to 63 per cent.

This growth has largely been driven by the proliferation of devices, in particular tablets, which are able to play video. This trend is poised to continue over the coming years, with market research firm IDC recently forecasting that 117.1 million tablets will be shipped this year, up from 68.7 million in 2011.

Wayne Purboo, chief executive of QuickPlay Media, claimed that live TV is becoming a “primary driver” of demand for multiscreen services.

“The 2012 Olympics shattered records for mobile video viewing, and this is driving longer term consumer demand across a plethora of mobile devices,” he said.

“To capitalise on this demand service providers are looking for cost effective solutions that enable them to rapidly scale multiscreen services while maintaining security and quality of the consumer viewing experience. As a result we are seeing more and more companies looking to managed services as a solution to scale at speed.”

Other findings from the report show that half of respondents selected live TV, which included live programmes, sports and events, as the type of mobile video content that they most frequently watched. Two fifths preferred to view video on demand services.

More than half (55 per cent) of mobile video users view mobile videos once a week or more, with 16 per cent of this group watching videos every day. Last year, just 12 per cent of regular viewers watched mobile videos once a day.

Despite being able to watch videos on the move, consumers still watch the majority of mobile video at home, with 37 per cent revealing it is their main location for viewing. A quarter said that they watch mobile video in between activities and a fifth do so while commuting.

Productivity across UK workplaces probably dipped during the Olympics as the number of consumers watching mobile video at work doubled to 18 per cent during the summer showpiece event, compared to an average of nine per cent in other weeks.