With the World Cup just days away, Vodafone UK  has teamed up with mobile solutions provider WIN  (Wireless Information Network) to launch the first mobile avatar (an animated talking head),  offering fans a daily package of updates, images, comment and key facts from the finals.
This is the first time an animated pundit has been used to provide mobile updates from a live sporting event. The service combines advanced avatar technology from DA Group with live audio and image feeds from leading content provider ICS (Independent Content Services). The service is being delivered to Vodafone live! customers via MMS through WINs Emporium content platform, under an exclusive partnership between the two companies for mobile alerts. It went live on Friday.
The format of this new service is ideal for our customer base, offering the essential news from Germany in a concise, fun and engaging manner says Vodafone Head of Category Management Jonathan Bill. Avatars have been widely available online for some time, and its great to see that their success is now being replicated on mobile. We expect the service to go down extremely well because of its fantastic ease of use, visual quality, and innovative nature.
For WIN, Marketing Manager Ben King adds:
The mobile avatar takes MMS to the next level. Its further evidence of the fact that MMS is really taking off as a mechanic for delivering mobile content. We are delighted to have collaborated with leading edge providers to deliver a truly compelling World Cup service for Vodafone live! customers. We look forward to the anticipated success of this service, encouraging more widespread use of mobile avatars once the World Cup is over.