Zoove and T-Mobile Connect Consumers with Brands via StarStar Vanity Numbers

PALO ALTO, Calif., March 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Zoove, the exclusive provider of StarStar Numbers for the largest wireless operators in the United States, today announced a simple, new way for T-Mobile customers to connect with their favorite brands, while on the go.  

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110314/SF64106 )

Zoove operates an exclusive registry of vanity StarStar Numbers. With StarStar Numbers, such as **BRAND (**27263), consumers simply call the StarStar Number of the brand being promoted or advertised. Instantly, that brand's mobile app, Web page, coupon, videos or more can be pushed directly to their mobile phones – without the need to use 2D-bar code readers or cross-carrier text messaging short codes.

"More and more of our customers are seeking simple but immersive interactions with their favorite brands," said Brad Duea, senior vice president, value added services, T-Mobile USA. "At the same time, brands with mobile assets need an easy mechanism to reach consumers' phone screens. Zoove's StarStar Numbers are a compelling and intuitive way to meet the needs of our customers and the brands they love."

Joe Gillespie, president and CEO of Zoove, said, "We're extremely proud of our relationship with T-Mobile, which has come after rigorous technical integration efforts across their network. Our StarStar Numbers enable T-Mobile customers to engage with brands on their own terms, on the one device they carry everywhere. By promoting memorable vanity numbers as part of existing ads or commercials, brands now have a simple way to deliver their mobile apps, contests, coupons, and more to reach today's 'anywhere' consumer."

"Consumers increasingly expect to move from screen to screen and medium to medium and have their content experience follow them. Initiatives like StarStar Numbers make that process easier and are an exciting opportunity for our clients to provide highly engaging communication," said Brian Monahan, executive vice president and managing partner, Interpublic Group Media Lab.

"Simply Call" for Apps and More

StarStar Numbers are easy-to-remember numbers, between two and 12 digits, which people call from their mobile phones. They provide brands with a new direct-response marketing tool for reaching mobile phones, aimed at increasing response rates through a simple user experience. StarStar Numbers are compatible with both feature phones and smartphones, across all major mobile operating systems. With today's announcement, Zoove's StarStar Numbers are now available across all four of the major U.S. wireless carriers.  Starting this year, major advertisers and brands will begin promoting StarStar Numbers as part of their existing marketing campaigns, such as billboards, print and online ads, TV and radio commercials, consumer packaged goods, and more.

For example, SUZUKI is currently using **SUZUKI (**789854) to promote their 2011 GSX-R sports bike. Viewers of CBS' "The Early Show" have been calling StarStar Numbers in recent weeks to interact with the show. 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc., the world's leading florist and gift shop, has licensed **FLOWERS (**3569377) as part of an upcoming Mother's Day campaign. In addition, consumers should expect to see promotions and commercials for other "generic" StarStar Numbers, such as **LAW (**529), in the coming months.  In this case, consumers will be encouraged to simply call **LAW (**529) to connect to information from law firms.

"Having built a brand around a vanity phone number, we have always embraced simple to understand direct response technologies that offer our customers an easy way to shop for gifts and deliver a smile to the important people in their lives," said Chris McCann, president, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM. "StarStar Numbers will provide a new compelling way to reach today's mobile consumers and distribute a broader range of campaigns. We look forward to working with Zoove on our cross-carrier mobile initiatives."

Pricing and Business Model

For T-Mobile customers, there is no additional charge to call a StarStar Number. After the initial phone call, consumers will receive a text message or voice mail prompting them to engage further, and at that point they can opt in, based on their phone's capabilities, to view websites, download apps, etc. Standard data charges based on their plan will apply at that time.

For brands, StarStar Numbers provide a unique and customizable mobile "name space," similar to the name spaces provided by their URLs on computers. Brands or advertisers seeking to create or use a StarStar Number must register with Zoove, which provides the exclusive registry across wireless carriers. Zoove has exclusive technical integrations across carriers' networks that enable networks to recognize and process StarStar Numbers properly. Zoove also provides content review and oversight on behalf of wireless carriers to ensure that brands' marketing campaigns adhere to carrier guidelines and policies. Brands pay Zoove an annual fee for their StarStar Number. Fees vary based on the length and scarcity of the number. Brands also receive access to Zoove's cloud-based content management system. This simple Web-based console enables brands to plan and schedule their StarStar Number campaigns, by uploading, managing, and publishing their multimedia content to callers – along with real-time reports and analytics.

Additional information about Zoove or StarStar Numbers can be found at www.zoove.com, by contacting (877) 283-5495 or [email protected], or by simply calling **ZOOVE (**96683) from a mobile phone.

About Zoove

Zoove operates an exclusive registry of vanity StarStar Numbers that lets brands easily connect with people – anytime, anywhere, on any mobile phone. Zoove is the exclusive provider of StarStar Numbers for the largest wireless operators in the United States, serving more than 250 million people. With StarStar Numbers, consumers simply call the name of the brand they see being promoted. Instantly, they can be pushed that brand's mobile app, Web page, coupon, videos or more, directly to their mobile phones – without the need to use bar code readers or disjointed text message short codes. StarStar Numbers are designed to be promoted as part of any marketing campaign, such as: billboards, print ads, TV and radio commercials, online ads and more. Zoove provides the mobile connection brands are seeking, and the ability to measure the results instantly. Based in Palo Alto, Calif., additional information about Zoove is available at www.zoove.com or by simply calling **ZOOVE (**96683) from a mobile phone.

All product and service names listed in this release remain property of their parent companies and do not indicate official support or endorsement for Zoove or its services.

SOURCE Zoove

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