Emap Advertising today announced it is launching a ground-breaking new MMS campaign for the feel good film from United International Pictures (UIP), ‘Honey’. The campaign will target the Kiss ‘Heysexy’ mobile database with the chance to win tickets to an exclusive screening of film.

The campaign is part of Emap Advertising’s Ł800,000 cross-media deal with UIP – brokered by ZenithOptimedia – to promote ‘Honey’ across Emap’s brand portfolio. An SMS message will be sent to the Kiss ‘Heysexy’ database promoting the film and inviting fans to text in to enter a competition to attend the exclusive screening of the new film. This campaign breaks new ground for Emap as respondents with picture phones will receive a free picture message to their phone as a result of responding to an SMS message.

Mobile technology provider Flytxt is providing the technology behind the campaign, which will run from 10-12 March. The activity simplifies the delivery process to ensure wide consumer appeal. Once the audience has asked to receive a picture message, the message is sent so that it is as easy to open as a text message.

Gillian Kennedy, Commercial Development Director Emap Advertising: “This campaign is strategically important for the next stage of development of Mobile as an advertising medium, as a message with an image and integrated text is sent out to audiences free of charge to receive and provides another reason for audiences to interact with brands. This significantly opens up new creative opportunities for the medium, which is advantageous for clients when marketing brands as they can communicate the visual imagery within their campaign straight through to an audience’s mobile phone. This means Mobile as a medium has greater appeal for brands as an advertising platform as well as enriching our brand offering to advertisers.

Steve Hunt, Advertising Manager at UIP: “This media first is an exciting development in mobile marketing for UIP. It's another example of the strength of UIP's ongoing relationship with Emap that we can be partners in this new media channel.”

Rachel Forde, Planning Director, ZenithOptimedia: "Our target audience for Honey love their mobile phones and using MMS technology engages them in a unique and relevant way. Giving them a Honey image adds to the interactivity of the campaign as it can be saved as wallpaper or sent on to a friend"

Lars Becker, CEO at Flytxt: "Emap has been a pioneer of new technologies and innovative ways of reaching its audience, since we began working with them in 2000.  This exciting step will take Emap and its relationships with its viewers, listeners and readers onto an even richer and more rewarding level."