Flytxt and Time Inc. Make Wireless Content Deal

Source: Mediaweek

Time Inc. has signed a deal with mobile technology and marketing firm Flytxt to implement a variety of text message-based content and marketing initiatives for its stable of magazines. The UK-based Flytxt will initially facilitate a program with People magazine in which wireless users can sign up to receive celebrity breaking news via text messages. A similar program is being planned for Teen People, and programs with other titles are being considered.

Eventually, Time Inc. plans to test marketing campaigns using text messaging, potentially driving users from its print titles to take various actions, such as opting in for mobile coupons or voting in various polls.

While Time Inc. had been exploring various wireless extensions for its vast print library for some time, many of the products popular to users, such as ringtones and games, did not make sense for magazines.

But the growing popularity of text messaging has opened up an opportunity, according to Time Inc. "We wanted to make sure that what we do is in line with where the audience is," said Edward Desmond, executive editor, Time Inc. Interactive.

Desmond added that the scope of these initial programs is still to be determined. "We are just experimenting right now," he said. "We are trying to find out how appealing people find these things."