Good and bad. Yin and yang. Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader (sorry for the nerdy reference). There are two sides to everything. Take mobile marketing for example. While a much more rigid set of rules for mobile marketing than for email prevents a lot of mobile spam (the good), it's much more laborious to get a mobile campaign approved by the carriers who will ultimately deliver the message to your target (the bad). It can lead to very long lead times and frustration for mobile marketers.Until recently, there seemed to be an “imbalance” when it came to mobile marketing. All of the major carriers, except one, required only a single opt-in for standard rate text messaging. T-Mobile required a double opt-in. In addition, T-Mobile had their own set of rules that was different than the standard set for other carriers. Perhaps it’s because they are a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG, a German company, and have a different view on mobile. Or, perhaps they just thought their rules were better.
Last month T-Mobile changed their rules (the “playbook”). While they still have their own set of rules separate from the generally accepted MMA standard, they are now in line with the other major US carriers when it comes to single opt-in for mobile marketing. Hopefully this will cut down on some of the lead times associated with getting a campaign approved and allow SMS campaigns to be designed a bit more simply – instead of designing for one particular carrier.
It’s probably too much to ask that balance be returned to the “force,” but anything that makes mobile marketing leaner and faster is a pretty good prize.
