Mar
12th

Oneupweb : Franchise iPhone Apps–Hungry for Pizza and Applications

Posted by Duncan on March 12, 2010 at 9:19 am

This is going to be a self serving blog in a couple of ways. The first self service here is a mention of Oneupweb’s iPhone application development services. The second is that I, and many other people, are hungry. We are hungry for pizza, subs, pretzels, ice cream, coffee and other delectable delights sold by franchises. We are also hungry for a way to use our smart phones to find locations, grab coupons and to place orders.

Oneupweb recently developed an iPhone app that can be easily modified to help franchises go viral with a fun and useful tool. The app allows you to have fun with a game, share the results with your friends (who will, in turn, share with their friends, and so on), find a location, get a coupon, place an order, and even request information on franchise opportunities. How can you lose with all that? Here’s a nice demo of the app:

So (now that I’m done with the Oneupweb pitch), here is my frustration. I have scoured Google and the iPhone app store trying to find apps for some of my favorite food franchises. Very few are in the game. This is troubling for the late adopters because the companies that are in the game are succeeding and leaping further ahead. At this point, if you are a pizza chain and you don’t have an app, you are behind. I suppose a day may soon come that franchisees and their customers will group together and explain to the franchisor what is missing. Perhaps then some of you will catch up.

Having an iphone app will help you stay in front of your busy, on-the-go customers (and maybe the couch potatoes, too). Give them what they are hungry for—a tasty quick meal that is easy to come by.

Now, let’s see, almost time for lunch. I will just load my Pizza Hut iPhone app and place an order. I will be eating soon. Thanks, Pizza Hut, for being modern!

GD Star Rating
loading...

Socialize This Post

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you leave a comment.

Mar
4th

Oneupweb : Mobile Marketing – What Are You Waiting For?

Posted by Chip Rice on March 4, 2010 at 4:52 pm

As many of you know, I’ve been an avid follower of mobile marketing advancements for years. And over that time I’ve documented a lot of it right here on StraightUpSearch.

I remember getting excited about the marketing potential of direct text message ads and the possibilities involved with taking a frozen slice of the internet with you via Webaroo. The changes that I’ve watched unfold in just a few short years have motivated me to trade in my cell phone for an iPhone and my desktop for a laptop and a netbook.

In fact, when I think about all of the things that I never dreamed possible, which I now take for granted, I’m not only reminded of how far we’ve come, but of what is truly possible.

The only thing that really, truly, still surprises me about mobile marketing anymore is how many companies are not taking advantage of it. Why, in this world of “make every marketing dollar count”, would we drag our feet with a channel that holds so much potential?

Hazardous to our health or not, mobile devices are here to stay, and so is the opportunity to reach your audience wherever they may be at the moment. So what are you waiting for? Give your mobile marketing strategy a kick start. Whether it’s setting up a mobile version of your site or developing a custom mobile app, now is the time to take that next step in your mobile marketing efforts.

And don’t forget to let me know what you are currently doing, or planning to do, with mobile marketing. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

GD Star Rating
loading...

Socialize This Post

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you leave a comment.

Feb
24th

Oneupweb : Health Versus Mobile Convenience

Posted by Angie on February 24, 2010 at 10:23 am

That was it—I’d finally had enough of being left out of the mobile online buzz. I broke down and stepped up to a quick messaging phone. Cute, compact, great reviews and best of all , it works (unlike my previous phone). It’s not an iPhone (still a bit too pricey for me), but that doesn’t mean I didn’t want one. Maybe I’ll be able to get one for my next upgrade four years down the road?

With all the craze about apps that can do everything from taking 360 degree panoramic images, to composing a dinner shopping list to getting pregnant, who wouldn’t want an iPhone? Our lives are getting more complex every day—and it just makes sense to have a phone that really performs. The more spare time we free up, the more activities, tasks and errands we can pack into our day.

I don’t go many places without my phone. Other than swimming, it’s pretty much always in my pocket. And then, of course, right there on my towel when I return to catch some rays. Regardless of where I am, it’s always within close range. Why? Because you never know when a friend might update their profile status on Facebook from single to engaged, or when a business might Tweet about a new product must-have. Also, receiving breaking news alerts in real-time is extremely handy.

But as society continues to thrive on cutting edge products, are we paying a higher price than we’re aware of for all of our conveniences? While doing some research for that new, must-have phone, I came across the Environmental Working Group for the 2010 Cell Phone Radiation Report Update. Some of the leading phones on the market (iPhone, Motorola Droid and HTC Nexus One by Google) are also leading in radiation levels they omit. And the worst part about it is that retailers are not required to disclose this to buyers. So if you’re one of those who can’t seem to get enough mobile in one day, it might be smart to be sure that your phone isn’t one of the “leaders”.

If it is, I recommend checking to see if there is a healthier option.

GD Star Rating
loading...

Socialize This Post

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you leave a comment.

Feb
17th

Oneupweb : Wake Up And Smell The Opportunity—Using iPhone Apps To Reconnect With Customers

Posted by Teal on February 17, 2010 at 10:07 am

Our country is working hard to recover from the throes of 2009. Companies are slowly starting to begin growing their businesses rather than simply keeping them afloat. Confidence is brewing and owners are starting to ask, “What’s next?”

It’s an interesting time for companies of all sorts. Consumer brands are faced with the challenge of tight-fisted customers—maybe “less tight” than even six months ago, but still tentative to overspend. And B2B organizations are still riding the wave of caution as they slowly investigate new ways to market and obtain more business.

Being Creative in 2010
So what’s next? How do B2C and B2B companies make safe, yet aggressive decisions about what their marketing strategy in 2010 will include?

It’s really time to think about your customers. Companies need to reach their audience and do so in an interactive and creative way. Businesses and consumers alike are much more emotional about their decisions coming out of such a hard economic time. We, as marketers, need to do even more to embrace new technologies and channels to communicate with them.

Technology has provided us with many ways to reach our customers and stay “top of mind”. Oneupweb is excited about the new opportunities iPhone applications provide for marketing and (as always) are investigating how these new tools can help organizations reach and stay current with their customers.

Connect and Stay Connected
iPhone applications are an excellent way to connect with your customers. As the most prevalent smartphone available (about 50% of the smartphone market share), iPhone applications are a small luxury that consumers are allowing themselves to splurge on. With over 3 billion downloads, iPhone applications are an excellent way to enthuse current customers and engage new ones.

iPhone applications can do just about anything you can imagine. Pizza Hut offers the famous pizza building (and ordering, of course) application that has gotten a lot of attention. Or have you ever see the iHandy level iPhone app? Basically, your iPhone can act as a level when you’re hanging a picture or putting up cabinets. And B2B marketers, don’t throw up your hands quite yet. iPhones are making headway into corporate America as the demand for iPhones and the reasons for creating iPhone apps continue to increase.

Curious if an iPhone application is the right way to catapult you out of the economic slumber? Contact Oneupweb. We’d be happy to discuss your ideas and questions.

GD Star Rating
loading...

Socialize This Post

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you leave a comment.

Feb
11th

Oneupweb : Adobe Flash – Is Time Running Out?

Posted by Robert on February 11, 2010 at 10:09 am

Recently, Apple unveiled its new toy called the iPad. I was disappointed to learn that like the iPhone and iPod Touch, it will not support Flash. This got me thinking about the future of Adobe’s Flash Player.

I wrote an article last month about Flash CS5 having the ability to compile iPhone apps from ActionScript3 code, but now I’m wondering if that’s really the best solution. Flash is currently the best form of media for browser based gaming when it comes to reaching the masses, but if things don’t change, it will find itself reminiscing over its glory days before long.

HTML5, paired with JavaScript, is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with. Its biggest advantage is the ability to render graphics with the GPU (Graphic Processing Unit). Its disadvantage is that users must have a browser that supports HTML5. IE8 and FF2 are among the browsers that don’t support it. In a world where 10.2% of internet users are still on IE6, it’s not likely that HTML5 will be the standard anytime soon. In fact, HTML4 isn’t even fully implemented yet.

Flash currently renders graphics through CPU (Central Processing Unit) for maximum compatibility across computers and operating systems which, unfortunately, puts quite a load on the processor. The next release of Flash Player will have GPU support (v10.1), but that will require users to update the drivers to their graphics cards as well. All I can do is hope that it gives Flash enough power to compete in the years to come…

I love AS3, but if Adobe doesn’t do something, then I’ll have no choice but to move to something else. In the end, the fate of Flash will depend greatly on how Adobe plays its cards.

GD Star Rating
loading...

Socialize This Post

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you leave a comment.