Branded mobile search service goes live
- Added:
- Nov 10, 2008
Start-up Jeanie Media has launched its new branded mobile search service in partnership with Itchy City, a youth-orientated publisher of local city guides.
Jeanie offers consumer and media brands the opportunity to create a customised mobile search channel that provides listings that are relevant to the brands’ target audiences.
For example, a version of Jeanie tailored for a men’s fashion and lifestyle magazine would only provide listings that readers of that magazine would be interested in (nightclubs, bars, pubs, men’s grooming etc).
Itchy City is the first brand partner to use Jeanie’s new white label mobile service.
Jeanie uses location-based services to provide users with personalised advice on what’s open and available close to them, with one click.
The content is selected from a host of the UK’s best-known and well-respected listings publishers – such as Itchy City, Square Meal, The Press Association and The AA.
In addition to listings, the service, dubbed ‘Itchy Mobile – Driven by Jeanie’, also provides editorial reviews, as well as a route planner and current distance from the venue, allowing users to make the most informed decision as quickly as possible.
The service is launching across sixteen of the UK’s leading university cities – including London, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester and Oxford.
The application is extremely user-friendly, requiring no text input, and lets users select from seven top-level categories, including ‘eat’, ‘music’, ‘entertainment’ and ‘travel’.
The application is easily downloadable to a wide range of mobile phones by simply texting the mobile keyword ‘Itchy’ to the shortcode 66996; users can also distribute the application virally using the ‘Tell-a-friend’ function.
Itchy City will promote the service to its monthly audience of 5.5 million readers across its range of media channels, including print, outdoor and online.
Alexander Fairfax, managing director and co-founder of Jeanie, said: “We wanted to create a mobile search application that put consumers first. Less is more on mobile; we have built a service that provides only the most relevant information, delivered super fast at the touch of one button. It’s a case of scroll, click, and let Jeanie read your mind.”
Zee Ahmad, digital development manager for the Itchy Group, added: “We’re constantly looking at ways in which we can improve how our audience can access our content. This is a fantastic opportunity to leverage our editorial excellence with the immediacy of mobile. Our audience wants the best out of city living and we are delighted to offer them the chance to access this information via Jeanie’s unique mobile platform.”
Earlier this year, Itchy City announced it would be focusing on developing delivery channels for its mobile content, including SMS and WAP technologies. ‘Itchy City – Driven by Jeanie’ comes as part of this effort.
