The Third Screen

About the Author

Chuck Martin is a seasoned expert in the realms of marketing and mobile technology. As the CEO of Mobile Future Institute and director of the Center of Media Research at MediaPost Communications Inc., Martin stands at the forefront of the mobile marketing revolution. He is a New York Times business bestselling author, renowned for his insightful work, "The Digital Estate," and has penned several other influential books, including "Net Future." Martin has been featured on major media outlets like CNN, CNBC, Fox Business, and ABC-TV News Now, showcasing his deep understanding of the digital and mobile landscapes.

Main Idea

In "The Third Screen: Marketing to Your Customers in a World Gone Mobile," Chuck Martin explores the profound impact of mobile devices on marketing strategies. The book emphasizes the shift from traditional and PC-based marketing to mobile marketing, highlighting how smartphones—the 'third screen'—are revolutionizing consumer behavior and business practices. Martin provides comprehensive strategies for businesses to adapt to this mobile-centric world, ensuring they remain relevant and competitive by leveraging the unique opportunities mobile technology presents.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Mobile is Game Changing
2. The Untethered Consumer
3. The Mobile End Game
4. The Rise of the Untethered Consumer
5. Smartphones Rule
6. Real Time Moves to All the Time
7. Customer Engagement in a World Gone Mobile
8. Mobile Business Goal Alignment
9. There’s an App for That: The New Broadcasting
10. On Location, On Location, On Location: LBM
11. The Finding: Search on Steroids
12. Social Goes Mobile
13. The Push-Pull of Mobile
14. The New Laws of (Inbound) Mobile Marketing

Introduction: Mobile is Game Changing

The evolution from television to personal computers to mobile devices marks significant shifts in marketing strategies. The first screen, television, allowed companies to broadcast messages to a wide audience. The second screen, personal computers, facilitated interactive communication between businesses and consumers. Now, the third screen—smartphones—enables real-time, location-based interactions, fundamentally changing the marketing landscape.

Martin states,

"The third screen enables customers to communicate directly with each other more easily and to share information and opinions not only in real-time but also as they move from location to location."

The Untethered Consumer

Mobile technology is not just about advanced gadgets; it's about the behavioral changes it brings. Today's consumers are untethered, constantly connected, and capable of performing numerous tasks on the go. Martin emphasizes that businesses must understand these behavioral shifts to avoid becoming obsolete. He illustrates this point with the rise of thumb-typing on smartphones—a behavior that was unimaginable a decade ago but is now ubiquitous.

untethered consumer behaviors include:

• Reading books on smartphones.
• Shopping and purchasing directly from mobile phones.
• Relying on peer recommendations via mobile platforms.

The Mobile End Game

Several characteristics of the mobile landscape offer new opportunities for businesses: