HipCricket Expands To Latin America: Financial News

HipCricket, named the “early leader” in the United States in mobile marketing, is expanding internationally beginning with a strategic partnership in Mexico that has brought the first comprehensive mobile marketing solutions to that country’s mobile operators, broadcast stations and brands.

HipCricket is teaming with prominent Mexican investors Pablo Peralta and Enrique Lopez-Negrete, accomplished executives in the Mexican telecommunications and media sectors for more than 10 years.

HipCricket de Mexico will produce measurable, ROI-driven programs for entities seeking to reach Mexican consumers. There were nearly 78 million mobile subscribers in Mexico, according to statistics provided by the mobile operators.

According to the latest Attitude and Usage study from the Mobile Marketing Association, many Mexicans regularly send text messages and are open and eager to receive offers and information from brands and other groups. In fact, 70% are either highly or moderately interested in mobile marketing.

Additionally:

67% text on a daily or weekly basis
34% are highly interested in receiving alerts for special sales, etc.
30% are highly interested in receiving information about new products or services
30% are highly interested in participating in text to win contests
29% are highly interested in receiving mobile coupons
30% are likely to opt-in

“This is a perfect match in many ways,” said HipCricket CEO Ivan Braiker. “Our partners are among the most respected and connected in Mexico and Latin America. Plus, according to the Mobile Marketing Association, Mexican consumers spend more than eight hours a week on their phones, nearly six hours watching television and approximately five hours listening to the radio. Mexican broadcasters will benefit from our unique offerings that will provide a connection with consumers on their most personal devices.”

“We intend to extend HipCricket’s leadership by offering its unmatched proven platform, deep experience and customer service to Mexican mobile operators, brands and broadcasters,” said Lopez Negrete who is serving as HipCricket de Mexico CEO. “The timing is right given the Mexican consumer’s mobile phone interests and habits.”

Looking beyond Mexico, HipCricket intends to expand into other Latin American countries. Mobile penetration in Latin America is six times computer penetration, according to the Mobile Marketing Association.

Statistics pertaining to Latin America are as impressive as those related to Mexico:

68% use mobile phones
2 in 3 say the mobile phone is highly important in daily life
62% text on daily or weekly basis
60 texts are sent/received per person in a typical week
47% frequently text while listening to radio

HipCricket has a deep commitment to businesses marketing to Hispanic consumers. In April 2008, HipCricket launched a comprehensive Hispanic Mobile Marketing Network, the first of its kind in the United States. The network consists of a family of Hispanic media properties that brand managers and agencies can leverage with a single buy for targeted, interactive mobile campaigns to Hispanic consumers in leading U.S. markets that include Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and New York, among others. HipCricket’s U.S. Hispanic reach extends to 14 of the top 15 Hispanic markets and to more than nine million listeners and viewers.

In September 2008, global analyst firm Frost & Sullivan said HipCricket “has taken an early lead in the U.S. mobile marketing space.” The firm named HipCricket the winner of the 2008 Market Penetration Leadership Award.”

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