A consortium of Goodyear dealers and other local businesses are running mobile coupon inititiatves via the new Sports Radio 810 WHB mobile applications for Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android.

Created and powered by mobile service provider Moblico, Union Broadcasting’s Radio 810 application provides listeners with a live connection to Kansas City sportscasters, programs, exclusive podcasts and special offers from 810 and its partners. The Radio 810 application lets the audience interact with 810 personalities live via phone, instant message or text messaging.

“We wanted to grow our business, whether it be streaming on the Web to a text messaging program and the new mobile apps,” said Jeff Montgomery, vice president at Union Broadcasting, Kansas City, MO.

“Moblico has developed the apps for us, so we can still focus on our primary business, which is broadcast radio,” he said. “The digital side of things is the direction a lot of advertising dollars are moving towards, so it’s important for us to stay ahead of the curve.

“We wanted to have the ability to monetize our application through couponing opportunities and more customized banner opportunities for advertisers.”

Sports Radio 810 WHB claims to be America’s largest all-sports radio station broadcasting to Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

In addition to its applications, the radio station runs SMS initiatives via the short code 74574.

Moblico provides mobile customer relationship and content management services, helping businesses to acquire, retain, transact and support customers.

Mobile couponing via apps
The free Sports Radio 810 application is available at http://www.moblico.com/810app.

Aside from the features for users, the 810 application extends value to station advertisers through direct, interactive ad messages and deals that can be redeemed via the application instantly.

These activities are tracked through analytics that let advertisers evaluate listener response in real-time, helping them to make intelligent marketing decisions.

Mr. Montgomery said that 810 WHB advertisers already recognize the value the mobile application presents, with companies such as Goodyear and Planet Sub being among the first to deliver offers to listeners directly through the application.

One of the launch sponsors was a group of local Goodyear dealers that have formed an association called Goodyear Platinum Independent Tire Dealers, representing about a dozen locations around Kansas City.

When the application officially launched on Friday morning, Goodyear gave away a free oil change to the first 100 people who went to the application’s deals section and clicked on the coupon.

All 100 Goodyear coupons had been redeemed by 1 o’clock that day.

Goodyear has followed up that initial offer with a coupon for 25 percent off a standard oil change.

Planet Sub, a local sub shop chain with about a dozen locations around the Kansas City area, offered 500 free six-inch subs to first 500 people who downloaded the coupon via the Sports 810 application.

All 500 those of were gone by Saturday, the day after the application launched.

Planet Sub has followed up its initial offer with a coupon for $1 off any six-inch sub.

Zepi’s Pizza, a local pizza shop, offered in-application coupons for large single-topping pizza for $8.10.

The pizzeria distributed 1,113 mobile coupons via the mobile application in the first five days.

Each coupon carries a unique numeric code that enables redemption at the point of sale.

Getting the word out
Moblico’s 810 Radio application is intended to be viral, letting users share both the service and deals with their friends and family.

This is intended to open up the 810 experience far beyond the borders of the 42,923 square miles that the regular AM station is bound by, delivering both the content and ads to a limitless audience, per Moblico.

Mr. Mongomery said that the 810 application enables the radio station to broaden its reach with listeners and expands upon the value of show programming and advertising.

The radio station is getting the word out about the applications via on-air mentions on its “Between the Lines” show, as well as a promotional spot that runs at various time.

In addition, the share button on the application lets users send a link to anyone they want via email with their smartphone that contains a link to download the application, which leads to viral spread.

When users download the application, the station asks them to enter their name, gender, age and email address in order to build its database.

“We’re looking for non-traditional revenue, although I call it ‘new traditional revenue,’ because I feel like it’s a category that will continue to grow, so I want to be ahead of the curve, and Mobilico allows to do so,” Mr. Montgomery said.

“We’ve been very pleasantly surprised with the immediate reception to the app,” he said. “We’ve had more than 3,000 downloads in the first five days and a lot of positive feedback.

“Also, Moblico gives us a really nice interface to track and report the user interactions and the coupon downloads.”

Final Take
Dan Butcher, associate editor, Mobile Commerce Daily