E-News to Go

What does Cookie Puss think about this? Carvel's "spokeswhale" Fudgie is swimming into mobile marketing this summer in a campaign to promote the chain's new line of frozen drinks. Consumers who text "FUDGIE" to 78247 will receive a coupon for one of the new blended coffees or Arctic Blenders and a chance to win one of five 42" TVs. Additionally, consumers can visit www.carvel.com and play a virtual matching game for a chance to win a technology package including a flat screen TV, an HD DVD player and a laptop computer. Fudgie is no stranger to social media; the ice cream whale also has MySpace and Facebook pages.

You've got chocolate in your Blackberry.Just in time for Mother's Day, Godiva Chocolatier launched a mobile commerce application for the RIM BlackBerry that lets users buy candy from a subset of its product line and ship them to any address in their Blackberry contact list. Promo reported that users can see full-color photos of the Godiva mobile offerings and read product descriptions, then click to order and complete their transaction in less than 30 seconds. That speed is partly the result of using a downloadable app instead of the mobile Web. The m-commerce application must be downloaded to the BlackBerry from http://www.godiva.com/mobile. It runs on a platform from Digby, a mobile commerce service provider that also enables BlackBerry users to buy books from Barnes & Noble and flowers from FTD.com. If customers prefer to get their chocolate fix in person, Godiva Mobile will offer a store locater that pinpoints retail outlets closest to the phone user's current location and point-to-point navigation maps showing how to reach them.

Deconstructing John McCain. Political direct mail maven Richard A. Viguerie has launched UltimateJohnMcCain.com, a site he says will serve as a forum to let conservatives express their opinions on the Republican candidate. "The most important factor that will determine the outcome of the 2008 presidential election is the level of support that conservatives give the Republican candidate," said Viguerie. Using polls, petitions, comments from visitors, and other feedback, the website will track conservatives' level of support for McCain. "This website is neither pro-McCain nor anti-McCain," added Viguerie. "It will take conservatives' temperature regarding John McCain, present both sides, and allow grassroots conservatives the chance to make their opinions known."