Brian Levin

Fueled by the popularity of reality TV and the immense success of text messaging worldwide, the American market is embracing mass media as a catalyst for SMS usage. One innovative solution has paired AT&T Wireless and "American Idol" in a promotion that is taking the U.S. by storm. The wireless industry is on the verge of one of its periodic reinvigorations due to the joint leadership of AT&T Wireless and FOX Broadcasting Company (FOX). The implementation of a high-visibility messaging component for the TV program "American Idol" has made text messaging a household term in North America. The success of the promotion is already remarkable, clearly the first major step toward fully realizing the potential inherent in messaging technology. However, this race is a marathon, not a sprint. There's still much to do. Our industry tends to revere the European and Japanese ma... (more)