WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. — Gumiyo, a mobile marketing and technology provider, announced a venture with the Los Angeles Times, which will connect consumers with the newspaper's classified print and online automotive and real estateadvertising.
The new service lets in-market car shoppers and home buyers use simple text messages and the Mobile Web to access detailed advertiser listings, photos, and videos and view them on almost any modern mobile handset. As an added benefit, the platform also enables car shoppers to access complete, on-demand CARFAX vehicle history reports.
"This mobile marketing initiative gives consumers a fast and easy way to shop," said Eric Larson, president of Gumiyo. "It turns traditional classified advertising into truly interactive media by giving consumers a way to directly engage The Times' dealers, agents, or brokers listings anytime, while also allowing advertisers to reach thousands of busy, motivated buyers."
The Los Angeles Times and latimes.com reach over 40 percent (1.3 million) of households in its designated marketing area (DMA). Latimes.com, and its Internet marketing partner Cars.com, receive more than 3 million unique visitors each month looking to purchase a new or used car.
"With this initiative, we can now offer infinite space for a rich-media, interactive user experience that can be uniquely combined with The Times local, time-sensitive ads," says Ken Nail, director of automotive advertising for the Los Angeles Times. "Put simply, readers can get the best of both the print and interactive worlds and we see this as a great way of extending our advertisers' reach to consumers on the go."
The Los Angeles Times mobile marketing initiative is powered by Gumiyo's Mobile Ready platform, a turnkey mobile marketing solution that integrates with traditional and online advertising to increase response rates and ROI. Simple text-able keywords, unique to each dealership, agent or brokerage, are incorporated into the auto retailer or broker's print advertisements, classified and online listings. Consumers use the keywords to quickly and easily send text messages to receive additional vehicle or property information. The system automatically replies to the buyer with a text message that includes basic information and a link to the advertiser's rich-media Mobile web site.
"Our mobile initiative gives homebuyers instant access to details on homes they are interested in buying, keeping them engaged and stimulating fast leads for the listing agent," stated Leslie Lindemann, director of real estate for the Los Angeles Times. "The Times news coverage and advertising is the first place many homebuyers turn to in their search for a home, and working with Gumiyo greatly enhances that experience for both buyers and sellers."
Dealers and real estate agents can subscribe to the mobile marketing service for one low monthly fee that includes unique keywords, custom outgoing text messages and a branded mobile Web site. Mobile web pages for properties and vehicles are generated automatically from existing inventory data that include complete descriptions, photos, videos, vehicle and home reviews and CARFAX reports (automotive only). Advertisers can also build custom mobile campaigns for various aspects of their businesses including service specials or open house events. Dealerships and brokers that sign up for the new program can become "mobile ready" and begin driving new business in less than a week.
