Brands, if you like SMS, you'll love MMS...

Here's a great article posted by Russell Buckley from MobHappy. Please click go here for the original post.

The Ip POV: I believe that Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) will thrive for consumer and entertainment brands.

Let me be honest here, MMS programs have been very lame to date. Of the handful of MMS programs executed thus far, the majority have been used for delivering ringtones and wallpapers instead of a true "multimedia" experience. Brands should know that MMS can be used for alot more than just simple content.

My inner techie is forcing me to tell you that there is a programming language called SMIL (pronounced: smile) that can be used to develop robust experiences via MMS. So what the heck does this translate to for the marketer? I'm glad you asked.

Well my friend, imagine you're interested in buying the latest BMW X6. It just so happens you're at the airport and come across one of their many well placed billboards. You see a mobile call to action and decide to text in to receive more information. Instead of getting a text message and a WAP link to their mobile site, you get an MMS message on your phone. It looks just like a text message and works pretty much the same way, but when you open the message, you get a complete commercial experience on the phone, complete with drive inspiring music, images of the X6 in different colors, a video showcasing the car in action, and product specs via text, all within a single MMS message! To add the icing on the cake, we accomplished all this without having the user download, navigate or search anything. Sounds good doesn't it?

The main reason I believe MMS will thrive is because it is already built into the majority of mobile devices. Other rich media experiences on the mobile device require navigating to a mobile site or downloading a mobile application (It's not so easy if you've never done it before). From a brand and agency standpoint, downloadable applications and mobile websites also cost a heck of a lot because you have to port to all the different handsets out there. With MMS, the carriers figure out all those technical details.

Ok, so there are alot of people from the tech world that don't believe in MMS so I'll play the Devil's advocate here: Some believe MMS will be outdated because delivering content via the mobile web (aka SMS WAP Push) is cheaper.

*Jargon Alert: SMS WAP Push is when a text message is delivered to the user with a mobile web link to the content they requested. Users have to click on the link in order to download the content.

It's true, the SMS delivered may be cheaper, but clicking on the WAP link still costs the consumer the transmission of the content. Although an MMS may cost 5-10 cents, that same content over the mobile web could cost $2.00 if the content is 200kb at $0.01 per kb. Of course I’ll have to point out that the early adopters probably have flat rate data plans. Unfortunately, the majority of people in the U.S. do not have flat rate data plans. It's actually more common for users in the U.S. to have unlimited messaging plans (that include MMS) than a flat rate data plan. Therefore I believe an MMS will consistently cost less to the consumer across all user levels.Another issue critics have about the technology is that MMS isn't perfect:

An item that the U.S. carriers have on their "to do" list is to integrate Mobile Originated (MO) MMS messaging with common shortcodes (aka CSC) so that consumers can send an MMS to a CSC. The way the technology currently stands in the U.S., user generated content has to be sent from a handset to an email address. We've been hearing throughout the industry that MMS to a shortcode is coming soon, so hold your breath. Ok, please don't. Once interoperability is a reality, I think brands will start exploring the of MMS given the experience and possibilities of the tactic.

Mobile Terminating (MT) outbound delivery of an MMS message from a common CSC to the consumer is here, and with it's inherent tracking technology, brands now have the ability to track a campaign at a level they were unable to with SMS. Amethon and Hook Mobile are two technology companies that have excellent examples of the fingerprint tracking capabilities of peer to peer MMS forwards. Think trackable viral marketing via the mobile phone. This has me, the marketer, salivating at the measurement and statistics as well as the thought of some pretty innovative campaigns.

There are different ways to look at how people use the mobile device but I believe that the majority of people will use what is easiest and most readily available. People popularized SMS because it’s quick, effective and cheap. The phone IS a social network, and it is one that has more reach than MySpace & Facebook combined. Using the native applications on the phone is a no brainer as most people won't take the extra step of going to a site or downloading an application when they don't have to. We ultimately need a simple experience for the users and deliver what they want, when they want it.

We'll get there, give it time. I remember when people criticized SMS in it's infancy. Many times I was told by friends that they would rather email or call me instead of this "texting jazz". That was 2003. Marketers and carriers have been successful of driving user behavior in the past and forsee they will once interoperability hits in the U.S. What do you think? I'd like to hear any your opinions as well.