| Flytxt reshapes business as clients go for content |
| Sunday, 04 April 2004 | |
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Mobile Media, 26th March 2004 - Flytxt, the UK firm that made its name in mobile marketing, is drastically widening its scope to become an enabler of a wider range of mobile services for brands, including a content platform and m-commerce enablement. “We want to be the trusted friend of large companies that are taking mobile seriously,” says Pamir Gelenbe, director of corporate development at Flytxt. The move will put the firm in direct competition with similarly expanding mobile messaging firms, such as Mobileway and Netsize.Flytxt is therefore entering an increasingly crowded space, especially since an ever-growing number of applications providers are attempting to do business with media companies rather than cellcos. Gelenbe maintains, however, that Flytxt already has the kind of relationships with media companies that others will need to build, arguing that many of its competitors are traditionally telecoms service providers. “We’re coming at it from a very different angle,” he says. Before making its strategic shift, the company had already moved toward the CRM side of mobile marketing. It has also started providing its technology solutions for clients looking to manage their own mobile marketing and CRM. According to Gelenbe, the switch has come as an increasing number of Flytxt clients are starting to think beyond marketing and are dipping their toes into mobile content, commerce and ticketing. Flytxt has therefore extended its scope to provide a complete mobile content platform, enabling customers to expand from mobile marketing and CRM into mobile content provision. Completing a triumvirate of services Gelenbe describes as synergistic, it is also putting efforts into the m-commerce space. MMrevealed in late February that Flytxt is supplying the technology behind Orange’s two-for-one mobile coupon drive in UK cinemas. Gelenbe says the company is now negotiating for another major mobile ticketing deal. While PSMS will likely be the main payment mechanism for mobile content, other purchases are expected to transact via credit cards. Flytxt is looking to enable brands and content owners to run self-managed mobile content, enabling mobile “shop fronts” and payment mechanisms. Going forward, Java will play a major part, Gelenbe says. While it will likely pursue J2ME development, Flytxt has struck a partnership with an unnamed firm to resell its Java client. Flytxt already has a number of clients using its self-management mobile marketing platform. A range of prominent media clients has also signed up to use the company’s new content platform, according to Gelenbe, but he declined to name them. Given the firm’s strategy, however, it is likely that among them are some of the company’s mobile marketing clients. Alongside Cadbury’s and Ford, they include media companies Emap and Chrysalis Radio. Chrysalis has recently launched a mobile unit, but it declined to reveal its technology provider. © Copyright Flytxt Ltd 2006. Unauthorized use of any content constitutes a material breach. |
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