Mobile providers to cash in on World Cup

Almost every major mobile network operator and handset manufacturer will be running extensive campaigns to secure a slice of the potential US$8.4bn in content revenues at the FIFA 2006 World Cup, according to Wireless World Forum research manager Ahmed Siddiqui. The majority will use the event to showcase new products and services but research published in a WFF report suggests most of them will fail. “The World Cup is a social event,” Siddiqui. says “More important than the football itself, it's a reason for people to get together and socialise. Being able to watch it is all about getting around life's constraints. Interest in the World Cup is limited mainly to the success of one's national team. The majority of people will switch off after their team is knocked out.” Siddiqui added: “Marketing will have to be most effective prior to and after the event. Here, the mobile companies will have to compete for mindshare with marketing behemoths like MasterCard, McDonald's and Adidas, which will have saturation campaigns across multiple media. We believe the major beneficiary of the championship will be mobile messaging, which could generate an extra US$7.3bn in revenue. The remaining US$1.1bn will come from non-messaging data services, with gambling and music capturing the largest share. These are all applications that will encourage interaction of some form. Messaging will win because it allows people access to information that can be used immediately. Music will still be a winner as people will want to download ring-tones to demonstrate allegiance to national teams.”

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.