Songwhale
Songwhale is an interactive technology company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[1] Founded in 2007 by Ty Morse and Jon Greenlee, Songwhale develops mobile media technologies through internet and SMS technology for all devices, and designs mobile marketing campaigns for businesses.[2]
History
Songwhale was conceived as a platform for sharing music through mobile media and mobile technologies.[2][3] The company then evolved that technology into a mechanism for delivering content digitally to handheld and other devices, providing behind-the-scenes access and promotions at sporting events and other live performances.[4] Through its partnership with California University of Pennsylvania, Songwhale expanded the applications of its technologies from athletics into education, creating tools to support the college experience from the practical, like emergency alerts and campus maps, to the desirable, like food delivery.[5]
The development of new mobile technologies and the repurposing of those they had created enabled Songwhale to move into overseas markets in Thailand, China, Japan, and Indonesia.[6] Additionally, Songwhale partnered with Cannella Response Television to adapt their mobile technology platforms to the direct response market.[7]
Products
Songwhale creates marketing campaigns using mobile technologies.[8] In 2011, Songwhale developed a text-to-purchase payment system, Paywhale.[9] Paywhale allows direct response television to send text messages to consumers, in addition to their traditional consumer interface, 1-800 numbers.[10] Through the Paywhale model, direct response is adapting to its consumers affinity for their handheld devices and can use the database their clients become part of for re-marketing.[11][12]
In 2015, Songwhale launched Cheapest Texting as a low-cost SMS platform. CheapestTexting.com was voted the #1 low-cost SMS solution for small businesses by Tech Review Pro.[13]
Awards
♦Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Finalist, 2009, Ty Morse, Songwhale[14]
♦Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Finalist, 2010, Ty Morse, Songwhale[15]
♦Pittsburgh Technology Council's Tech 50 Startup of the Year Nominee, 2011[16]
♦Pittsburgh Technology Council's Tech 50 Nominee for New Media, 2012[17]
References
- ^ Stacy Vogel Davis “Songwhale growing in Milwaukee”, Pittsburgh Business Times, 23 Dec 2011
- ^ a b Startropica "Pittsburgh Startup Songwhale Born From Beowulf! Interview", Nibletz, 23 Oct 2012
- ^ “Ty Morse Interview”, Retire@21
- ^ "Entrepreneur of the Year: Ty Morse", Pittsburgh Business Times, 22 Jun 2009
- ^ Malia Spencer "California University of Pa. deal gives Songwhale new business line, employees", Pittsburgh Business Times, 28 Jan 2011
- ^ Joan Raymond, Ed. "To Asia and Back, Sleep Not an Option", The New York Times, 2 Jan 2012
- ^ Thomas Haire "DRMA Spotlight: Staying Ahead of the Curve", Response Magazine, 1 Mar 2013
- ^ Debra Diamond Smit “Songwhale”, Pop City
- ^ Malia Spencer “Songwhale preps new mobile payment processing system”, Pittsburgh Business Times, 30 Sept 2011
- ^ Malia Spencer "Songwhale launches text-to-buy platform to wider audience", Pittsburgh Business Times, 10 Sept 2012
- ^ Steve Smith "Text Operators Are Standing By: Could DRTV Use M-Payments?", MoBlog, 13 Sep 2012
- ^ Chantal Tode "DRTV marketers drive mobile sales via text-to-buy", Mobile Commerce Daily, 18 Sep 2012
- ^ Tech Review Pro. [1] December 2015.
- ^ Jonathan Kersting "Council Member Companies Dominate Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist List", Pittsburgh Technology Council
- ^ Bill Kirchner "Passion to Succeed - Ernst & Young celebrates 18 entrepreneurs for their innovation and business excellence", Pittsburgh Technology Council
- ^ Malia Spencer "Pittsburgh Technology Council's Tech 50 finalists named", Pittsburgh Business Times, 20 Jul 2011
- ^ Deborah M. Todd "Pittsburgh Technology Council names Tech 50 award finalists", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 27 Aug 2012