Dockers(R) will sponsor Pandora's Blackberry App Launch

So, we get that a lot of companies are still a little tentative about mobile, despite the fact that (a) there’s an audience of over 260 million in the US, (b) it’s a highly accountable channel, (c) that response rates, particularly for SMS campaigns, have been shown time and time again to be exponentially higher than email, etc…..but we understand. It’s new.  New things can seem scary.

That said, I’m really impressed by Dockers(r) foray into the space. They’ve taken a bold  – but safe - step into mobile by piggy-backing on an established mobile brand.  Pandora, a personalized radio application, is among the most downloaded apps in the iTunes store (as well as one of the best reviewed).  By becoming the premiere sponsor for the Pandora launch on the BlackBerry platform, Dockers enters the mobile market in an huge way. BlackBerry owns 16.6% of the smartphone market, versus the iPhone’s 8.2%. So they’re capitalizing on the established success of Pandora, and bringing it to an audience roughly twice the size.

Dockers found synergies between its own audience and the BlackBerry’s, and Pandora seemed like “perfect fit” (ha-ha) for the pair. From Pandora’s press release about the sponsorship:

“Dockers is a perfect fit as the premiere advertiser for our application launch on BlackBerry, and we’re thrilled to partner with them on this exciting and significant next step in our mobile marketing strategy,” said Cheryl Lucanegro, senior vice president of advertising sales for Pandora. “The Pandora and BlackBerry relationship allows the Dockers brand to bring relevant and targeted messaging within the mobile media environment to a highly engaged audience that’s tailor-made for its message.”

“The Dockers consumer is forward-thinking and engaged with new technology. This initiative is a perfect fit for what’s relevant in his life,” said Patti Sircus-Bender, Dockers marketing director. “Partnering on the launch of Pandora for BlackBerry allows the brand to bring our consumers their favorite music while they’re on-the-go. As the long-time leader in khaki, it makes sense that the Dockers brand would continue to innovate within the men’s category. “