Margin Check: Emerging media, SmartAds, Nintendo’s Wii and more

Editor’s Note: Welcome to On the Margins, a feature for RCR Wireless News’ new weekly e-mail service, Mobile Content and Culture. Every week, the RCR Wireless News staff considers events in the wider business world and how they could affect the wireless industry.
–New numbers from Magna Global show that ad spending on “emerging media” is set to grow 30% this year and next year. Although mobile marketing is included in the category, the figure also covers other media such as search, social networking, online and rich video and advanced TV. In appeals to advertisers, mobile marketing companies may need to take note of the other mediums that are competing for limited ad dollars.
–According to a Japanese game magazine publisher, Nintendo’s Wii gaming console has outsold Sony’s PlayStation 3 by a 6-to-1 ratio in Japan. The success of Nintendo’s new gaming console-which continues to suffer from demand outstripping supply-may well spill into the wireless gaming market, which to date has been dominated by movie- and TV-related products rather than mobile-specific offerings. Nintendo’s success also could give the company the cash to become active on the wireless gaming front, an area it has so far ignored.
–Yahoo introduced a new “SmartAds” system that automatically customizes marketing messages. Advertisers essentially load creative components and artwork into Yahoo’s system, which then can generate hundreds of unique ad combinations based on those components. If successful, the offering could serve as a template for the mobile marketing playground, which would benefit from customized and relevant messages to end users.
–Visa announced a deal to sponsor the 2010 and 2014 World Cup soccer tournaments. It’s a good bet that Visa, which is involved in the wireless industry both on the advertising side and the mobile-payments side, will use the mobile channel in some way as part of its World Cup sponsorship.
–According to a report in the New York Times, Universal Music Group will not renew its annual contract to sell its music through Apple’s iTunes service. Instead, Universal will market its tunes through Apple at will, which could lead to Universal pulling its music off iTunes if the two companies don’t reach agreements on pricing and other terms. If Universal is indeed looking to throw its weight around by challenging Apple and its iTunes service, the issue may well spill into wireless. Whether that stands as a challenge or opportunity for wireless players remains to be seen.