Zagat Survey today launches ZAGAT.mobi, an advertising-supported mobile website. ZAGAT.mobi features the company’s signature restaurant, nightlife and hotel content for all major U.S. cities, London, and other select international destinations.
“We pioneered the concept of consumer-generated content almost 30 years ago,” notes Nina Zagat. “As the media landscape has evolved, we’ve taken a ‘platform agnostic’ approach to helping consumers make smart decisions by making our content available to them however and wherever they’ve needed it.”
What began as the famous, slim “burgundy bibles” has taken many forms over the years including the ZAGAT.com website and many leading-edge, digital media such as the ZAGAT TO GO smartphone software, GPS navigation systems, touch screens in New York City taxicabs, and now the ZAGAT.mobi mobile website.
ZAGAT.mobi is compatible with any web-enabled mobile phone and is designed to serve the growing number of mobile phone users who seek information via their mobile devices. All visitors to ZAGAT.mobi can access free restaurant, nightlife and hotel information including important listing details (e.g. address, phone number, hours), handy features (e.g. send to a friend via SMS, find nearby) and useful links (e.g., directions, movie times, airlines).
ZAGAT.com subscribers get the bonus of viewing the Zagat ratings and reviews of these businesses on ZAGAT.mobi at no additional charge. Further enhancements are planned for later this year.
Recent industry forecasts say that in the next five years, the fastest growing segments of media will include the “third screen” (mobile websites/content) and ad budgets are shifting accordingly.
Advertisers like ZAGAT.mobi launch sponsor, Visa Signature (an exclusive two-month flight), are increasingly adding mobile web into their marketing strategies as a new way to reach active, affluent and engaged consumers. “We are especially excited about devices like the iPhone, for which ZAGAT.mobi is optimized,” said Ms. Zagat. “We are delivering mobile advertisers highly motivated and active consumers who use their phones constantly to accomplish tasks for both work and play. That’s a great environment for any marketer.”
Zagat Survey worked with Starcut, a leader in high-end mobile services, to design and develop the ZAGAT.mobi site and has licensed the Starcut Media One platform to deliver an optimal user experience to any mobile device. Zagat has also partnered with Third Screen Media, now a subsidiary of AOL, as well as Winstar Interactive Media, a division of Interep Interactive, to manage and sell advertising on the new mobile site.
