(CLL) PHN LCKN 09 Rocked.

Mobile technology can be revolutionary. It can deliver brand messages, create unique user experiences, even transform events. The possibilities are endless, and we love spreading the word about it. That’s why we were thrilled to work with LVHRD for (CLL) PHN LCKN 09.  (That’s Cell Phone Lock In ‘09.)

LVHRD is known for creating unique interactions through unconventional events and digital media. In January 2009, they had a pretty amazing idea for a party. Exactly our type of party. (It was all about text messaging.)At 5^th Finger, we were able to take LVHRD’s idea and help make it happen by aiding in development of software that that powered the evening’s festivities. Our main challenge was just to get it done in an extremely short period of time.

The event was to be an experiment that measures the frequency of peer-to-peer communication at an event— using SMS. It would be a way to understand an emerging technology, see how it influences the human spirit, and observe how it encourages simple socialization. Having fun was also an added bonus.

The initial invite was sent by text message, but guests had to wait until just hours before the event began to get text with the location—92Y Tribeca in Manhattan.

All in good fun, the event’s theme revolved around awareness of SMC (Severe Micro-Contamination) a fictional, yet “dangerous,” disease transmitted by cell phone radiation. Upon arrival, each guest was given a white hazmat-esque jumpsuit with a four-digit ID number printed across the front. They were asked to text their first name, last initial, and a brief bio along with their jumpsuit ID number to a short code.

Here’s where it got interesting. By giving guests a common mobile functionality, we gave them the chance to learn information about others at the party. Two large screens at the event continually displayed scrolling bio information. A guest could text another person’s 4-digit ID number to the short code and receive that person’s bio information by text. To keep things fun, the bios could be updated all night long. Combine that with some great music and beverages from event sponsors Dewars and Sapporo, and you’ve got the recipe for a very atypical night.

We documented all interactions with our master SMS database to gauge the event’s success. 90% of participants texted in, with a total of 3,974 texts sent throughout the night. The total number of guests was just under 300, making the average number of texts sent per person 16. The highest number of texts sent from one person was 88. 

More than just a phone.

We know a lot about mobile these days - people are texting more than talking,mobile web usage is exploding and age isn't really an issue when it comes to mobile. But like the cartoon above says, "the release of 'iFart Mobile' made it clear: a phone is not only for phoning." These days, I rarely use my phone (a BlackBerry Bold) to make calls. Instead, I'm browsing web pages at 3G speed, downloading applications and uploading content to social media channels all from my mobile device. 

TwitterBerry.

TwitterBerry is awesome. Created by Orangatame Software, TwitterBerry is a native mobile app for posting updates to Twitter. It works over the data network, so it doesn't require SMS.

Supported devices:

• BlacKBerry Storm (garbage)
• BlacKBerry Bold  
• BlackBerry Curve (8300, 8310, 8320, 8330) Series
• BlackBerry 8800 Series
• BlackBerry Pearl (8100, 8110, 8120, 8130, 8220, 8230) Series
• BlackBerry 8700 Series
• BlackBerry 7130 Series
• BlackBerry 7100 Series
• BlackBerry 7200 Series
• BlackBerry 7520

Millennials and optimism.

According to a recent study done by Pepsi (Pepsi Optimism Project), Millennials – those people born between 1980 and 1990 – are confident that 2009 will bode well for them. They also spend more time enjoying life than worrying about it and this group is most optimistic about their overall well-being and relationships with friends and family. Other findings include:
•  74% find that supporting causes make them feel more optimistic.

•  77% of Millennials report having a strong sense of optimism about their careers.

•  95% make positive associations when they think of the word “change,” associating it with “progress” (78%), “hope” (77%) and “excitement” (72%).

These numbers are great, but the most interesting and perhaps the most expected is their correlation to the recent election. According to the survey, 67% of Millennials say that the election of Barack Obama is making them feel optimistic about the future of the country. While Millennials may seem naive and less experienced (in the job market), they represent the kind of optimistic attitude that we'll all need to recover. They're not jaded by hiring and firing practices in AdLand and, in my opinion, are who I'd hire right now in the hopes that they're sentiments pervade my agency and my clients'.

Orientation Data.

Crazy.

Mobile Anthropology.

We’ve come a long way since the days of Gordon Gecko…

Back then, if someone handed you an iPhone, would you have known what to do with it? Broadband Internet connections were a thing of the future, and mobile phones were for making calls.

Today, I barely use my phone (an iPhone 3G by the way) to make calls. I surf the web at speeds rivaling WiFi, download high-powered applications and author and upload content to my blog all on the go and all from my mobile phone. The world of mobile is constantly changing and changing our world along with it.

In order to understand where mobile is going, and us along with it, we’ve got to act as anthropologists, constantly surveying the changes in social behavior brought about by the mobile phone. So, if cultural anthropologists study humans through observation, seeking to advance knowledge of who we are, how we came to be that way and where we may go in the future, does that make me a mobile anthropologist? According to the American Anthropological Association (www.aaanet.org), it does. Because they define anthropology “as an explicit, evolutionary approach to the study of human behavior.”

In our new subset of anthropology, we look at how mobile has moved “talking” from voice to text and the impact of this shift on habits and behaviors. We look at the move from web search to mobile search and the introduction of context, relevance and immediacy. And, we look at increases in brand affinity brought about by innovative mobile campaign interactions.

But these changes in behavior are only possible because of definite changes in the devices themselves. Over the last ten years, we’ve gone from personalizing the exterior of our phones (think leopard cases) to personalizing the contents inside of our phones (think ringtones) to using the phone to modify and author content (think Facebook mobile and the iPhone Typepad App). So, usability (specific product attributes) has uniquely changed the user experience. Mobile phones, already an important part of our social behavior, will become even more integrated into our daily lives as they continue to add new utility.

So what does the future of mobile look like? Does it mean cybernetic implants in our brains? It’s not out of the realm of possibility.