With the help of singer Rob Thomas, Atlantic Records recently launched Fanbase Mobile, a novel way for music enthusiasts to connect with their favorite artists. The new mobile phone app extends the reach of the popular online Fanbase.com service to include mobile users.
Fanbase.com and Fanbase Mobile provide up-to-the-minute news, photos, and videos of favorite musicians from numerous sources, all in a single download. The service pulls information from artist websites, as well as from MySpace, MTV, Twitter, Buzznet, Yahoo! News, Google News, Flickr, Youtube, Brightcove and fan blogs and websites.
The service also gives fans a way to communicate with their faves. Users are able to reply to Tweets and post to the artist’s "wall" - even leave them voicemail.
Fanbase includes artists such as Rob Thomas, Flo Rida, Sean Paul, Staind, Death Cab for Cutie, James Blunt, Buckcherry, Jet, Panic At The Disco, Paramore, Rush, Simple Plan, Missy Elliot and more.
The mobile application was introduced on March 31st, 2009 at the CTIA conference in Las Vegas where featured artist Rob Thomas headlined the Billboard Mobile Live Event.
Gee, I think I’ll leave Rob Thomas a voicemail now. Wonder if he’ll call me back…
Digital Celebrity Connections
'Fanbase Mobile' App Lets You Engage With Your Fav Singers
Trend Themes
1. Mobile Fan Engagement - The rise of Fanbase Mobile suggests opportunity for music companies to adopt personalized mobile experiences to engage with music fans.
2. Multi-source Content Aggregation - Fanbase.com and Fanbase Mobile demonstrate an opportunity for companies to create a centralized platform for multi-source content aggregation, especially in industries where customers seek up-to-date news, photos, and videos about their favorite celebrities, leaders, or brands.
3. Direct-to-consumer Communication - The ability to reply to Tweets and post to artist's walls, leave voicemails, and receive up-to-the-minute news suggests an opportunity for companies to facilitate direct-to-consumer communication and personalized experiences.
Industry Implications
1. Music - Music industries can capture the opportunities presented by Fanbase Mobile: enabling direct-to-consumer communication, multi-source content aggregation, and mobile fan engagement.
2. Celebrity and Entertainment - Celebrity and entertainment industries can use Fanbase Mobile as an inspiration to personalize mobile-based content and build relationships with fans using direct-to-consumer communication and content aggregation.
3. News and Media - Emerging multi-source content aggregation technologies and direct-to-consumer communication technologies in Fanbase Mobile suggest an opportunity for news and media industries to create an immersive experience and connect with customers.