During Macworld 2007, filmmaker Kevin Smith gave a well-attended speech in which he related Apple to his own screenwriting; apparently the Mac was the user-friendliest computer alternative to his trusty Smith-Corona. Mr. Smith also noted the big news of that day, which was the debut of the iPhone. \”Now that you can make phone calls from your iPod, the only thing left to do is [make love to] it,\” he told the crowd, suggesting that Apple come with a new product called the i-\”¦ well, since we don\’t want anyone getting in trouble for reading this blog at work, you can read more here.
Mr. Smith\’s suggestion just came closer to fruition. According to Time, pornography companies are preparing to leverage the next-gen iPhone for their own industry. They\’re launching mobile sites, interactive campaigns, and clips that are all optimized for the handset\’s two-inch screen. (Nope, I won\’t take the easy shot here.)
Why all this hoopla from the porn-purveyors over the iPhone? For one thing, the adult industry has a history of embracing new technology long before mainstream entertainment companies do. They were the first movie-makers to monetize online video, remember. Also consider that Vivid, the Los Angeles-based adult entertainment company, says 50 percent of its mobile traffic now comes solely from the Apple device.
There\’s another reason this makes for a good marketing strategy. The iPhone had a starting price of $500; even its upcoming $199 model isn\’t exactly free. So device owners have had to have considerable disposable income – making them consumers worth pursuing, no matter what the marketer is selling. Sneer though they may, savvy marketers should take a page from adult film companies. And they don\’t have to hide from their moms to do it.
Eydie Cubarrubia
Marketing Communications Manager, mobileStorm
“I’d rather you text me”