SmartSource.com Coupon Site Goes Mobile
Augme Technologies Brings News America Marketing's Online Couponing Site to Web-Enabled Phones
NEW YORK, Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- News America Marketing, the premier publisher of coupons in the U.S. and Canada, producing over 165 billion coupons annually, today announced that its popular consumer coupon site, www.smartsource.com, would be going mobile, by partnering with Augme Technologies, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AUGT), a technology and services leader in interactive media marketing solutions. The collaboration brings together pioneers in both their fields to provide unprecedented access to online coupons across a broad spectrum of web-enabled devices.
News America Marketing's www.smartsource.com currently offers one of the most robust selections of consumer packaged goods coupons available, often 100 or more at a time. The new mobile version of the site will allow users to scroll through the offers available and select which coupons they want to use from any web-enabled phone, smartphone or other mobile communications device, without having to download any special software or applications.
"The long-standing foundation of a great brand marketing mix: the FSI, and in-store media, will continue to be important tools for a long time to come, but for the new generation of shopper who lives life via her mobile device, we now have a unique means of reaching her. We're pleased to be working with Augme Technologies as we expand our online offerings to mobile devices," said Chris Mixson, president, News America Marketing.
For almost forty years, consumers have flipped through their Sunday papers to find savings in inserts like News America Marketing's SmartSource Magazine, which as of January 2, 2011 reaches almost 74 million households each week. News America Marketing is also behind in-store promotions such as the SmartSource Coupon Machine, which delivers savings at the supermarket shelf in tens of thousands of stores nationwide. By taking their coupons mobile, News America Marketing is taking the next step in expanding their reach. The easily-accessible mobile site stands apart from many coupon "apps" that require not just web-accessibility, but smartphone technology.
Said Mixson, "Smartphone ownership is on the rise, but it's important to us to give as many consumers as possible access to this powerful savings tool today. We have long had a commitment to shoppers to provide them with savings wherever they choose to look, whether in the newspaper, in stores, online, and now, on their mobile device."
Augme was instrumental in News America Marketing's successful launch of its initial mobile couponing campaign in October, 2009. This new phase of the campaign allows shoppers to access the same browsing and coupon selection they find on www.smartsource.com on their mobile devices, with content, navigation and interactive screens formatted specifically for each individual web-enabled device.
"We are very impressed with Augme's ability to transition the www.smartsource.com
experience to a mobile device," said Henri Lellouche, Senior Vice President, iGroup, News America Marketing. "Digital couponing solutions where consumers can clip coupons, select samples, or obtain product information via mobile devices are a game-changing promotional tool."
"The fastest growing market of users and shoppers can now gain easy access to the same discounts and value SmartSource has online, via their mobile phones," stated Anthony Iacovone, Chief Innovation Officer of Augme Technologies, Inc. "Augme will continue to work closely with News America Marketing to provide even more flexibility and control for their clients and ultimately, for consumers. The quest for value hasn't changed, but the places you can find it have certainly expanded."
News America Marketing anticipates that by taking their coupons mobile, redemption rates will rise, increasing sales at stores where online coupons are accepted.
"Though digital couponing is still in its infancy, currently representing only single digit percentages in reach and redemption, having a digital element in every marketing campaign is nonetheless a must. SmartSource and our partner Augme Technologies are committed to providing thorough digital reach through mobile in all forms both current and future," said Lellouche.
News America Marketing's plans for mobile marketing platforms include the launch of mobile sampling programs, and direct-to-card couponing capabilities, in early 2011, both of which will be based on QR codes technology and supported by Augme Technologies.
News America Marketing is a unit of News Corporation.
News America Marketing®, a division of News Corporation, is the premier single-source provider of consumer marketing services in the U.S. and Canada. The company's product portfolio, marketed under the SmartSource® brand name, consists of the first branded free-standing insert, known as SmartSource Magazine®, various in-store marketing products, merchandising services, database marketing tools and online promotions. These products and services allow marketers to deliver a brand message millions of consumers each month via a network of 1,600+ newspapers* and over 55,000 supermarket, drug, office, mass merchandisers and dollar-store locations across the country, including Kroger, Safeway, Publix, CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Staples, Family Dollar and Dollar General*.
*As of October 2010
News America Marketing's diverse portfolio of consumer-marketing programs includes:
IN-STORE MEDIA
HOME-DELIVERED MEDIA
TRADE MARKETING
DATABASE MARKETING
MERCHANDISING SERVICES
News Corporation (Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV) had total assets as of June 30, 2010 of approximately US$54 billion and total annual revenues of approximately US$32.8 billion. News Corporation is a diversified global media company with operations in eight industry segments: filmed entertainment; television; cable network programming; direct broadcast satellite television; integrated marketing services; newspapers and information services; book publishing; and other. The activities of News Corporation are conducted principally in the United States, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Asia and Latin America.
About Augme Technologies, Inc.
Augme Technologies, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AUGT) is the technology and services leader in interactive media marketing platforms that enable marketers and agencies to seamlessly integrate brands, promotions, video and other digital content through the power of the Internet and mobile communications. Augme's intuitive new media marketing platforms allow companies to quickly create, deploy and measure rich-media, interactive marketing campaigns across all networks and devices. Campaigns built on Augme marketing platforms strengthen customer loyalty by delivering personalized brand experiences to customers where they work, play and live. By leveraging the power of its AD LIFE™ mobile marketing solution with complementary services such as video content delivery (BOOMBOX®) and ad network provisioning (AD SERVE™), Augme connects brands and content to consumers in a network of mobile and multimedia experiences that enables companies and their marketing agencies to build sales and monetize brand interactions. Augme is headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit www.augme.com.
Augme Technologies, Inc.™, Augme™, AD LIFE™, BOOMBOX®, AD SERVE™ and the Augme logo are trademarks of Augme Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, as well as statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include those set forth in our Form 10-K and other reports filed with the SEC. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE News America Marketing
WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?
Newsrooms &
Influencers
Digital Media
Outlets
Journalists
Opted In
Share this article