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I first heard about her through Russell’s interview he did with Julia back in January, so I thought there’s nothing I can add to that. But Julia is living in Barcelona just like me so one day we decided to catch up and see if there was enough material to do another interview worthwhile for you to read without repeating too much stuff

To be honest, when I saw her picture first, I expected a hard-dealing though business woman but surprise, surprise… Julia is a very warm-hearted, intelligent person with a great sense of humour, and she has a case! I was mainly interested to Julia’s role in the adult industry and her entrepreneurial spirit to develop from scratch her own company Cherrysauce. The adult industry is mainly driven by men so I thought it was interesting to know more about her role as a woman in this industry and her ideas she’s developing for Mobile.

BACKGROUND - WORK

- What brought you into mobile?

The 11th of September in New York.

I was living and working in Manhattan, working for a well respected and award winning digital design agency. I left with my entire life in a suitcase two weeks after the 11th of September disaster, under the cities growing anxiety towards a looming world war and consequently, increasing difficulty in getting back to Europe via commercial flights. I decided to take a sabbatical with my parents who had recently retired to Barcelona and sent my CV out to a couple of agencies to probe the work market in Spain and fell in love with Cataluña. The first company to reply was Private Media Group, whose headquarters are based just outside of Barcelona and is one of the largest Adult Entertainment companies in the world. To demonstrate my innocence, I didn’t even know who they were when they called me up (the job posting said “leading European content provider”. My parents had to tell me!!

A year later, at the end of 2002, I joined an amazing guy, Dave Jarvis, to set up the wireless division of Private. It was the first of its kind and ahead of its time in the marketplace. Operators were having NOTHING to do with glamour or topless content at this time, let alone +18 content, which dominated the Private portfolio. Subsequently, Dave and I created many new ideas of how adult entertainment would or could really have commercial viability on a very small screen. We came up with ‘interactive movies’, where the end-user would effectively be the camera. He would approach the bar where two Private stars would be sitting and would be asked which one he wanted to invite for a drink. The scenario would continue ‘all the way’, so to speak, using video clips interspersed with choices and of course payment points. The trick was that with each video clip, the end-user wanted to see the next one EVEN MORE, thereby almost guaranteeing an increased ARPU. But it also offered the end-user better value for money by creating a more immersive experience, and more contextual viewing. Not just a selection of random 15 second clips of a girl wiggling her bum, or touching her breasts, because that was all the operators would take. There is no context or value there and the user MUST feel short-changed! I have only recently seen these ideas of ours of 3 years ago starting to appear on the commercial market as a working product (it was inevitable, of course, that someone would do it in the end and good luck to them them. It’s what consumers want!)

- Can you explain more about your work?

Cherry Media S.L. is a Spanish registered company and was launched in September 2003. As such, it was one of the first dedicated Mobile Erotic companies on the market. I was previously the Wireless Commercial Director at Private Media Group, one of the largest Adult Entertainment companies in the world. Cherry Media is 100% owned and self funded and was solvent after the first 4 months of trading. It has also made a profit both years it has been running and increased its turnover by 350% in 2005.

Cherry Media’s main brand, Cherrysauce, is a direct-to-consumer mobile entertainment portal, a collection of many different brands, sites and content levels, appealing to different audiences and territories. Cherrysauce also offers a diverse and innovative range of ‘entertainment’ packs based on our own D2C experiences. This allows other distribution partners to build an erotic experience for their own consumers and platforms. We don’t simply send wallpapers and videos, we come up with interesting navigation ideas, share conversion tricks and customer appeal successes, sales approaches, special genres, themes and much more. Our B2B team really gets involved with distribution partner strategies and where the content is positioned on the deck. With how many clicks the user must make to purchase an item, what it looks like graphically, which content to select and prioritize, etc.

- Are you more social, business or technical oriented?

Definitely social! I really want to answer this question as business orientated, but it’s the first company I have run, so I really learn as I go along, as both the market and our company develops. I have made mistakes along the way and I have also struck lucky and done exactly the right thing at the right time in the market. However, good or bad, it has bought me to point where I have a much greater depth of knowledge and experience of setting up and running a company in a very competitive and male-orientated environment.

I come from a creative and design background, so I leave the technical aspects of Cherrysauce to the experts! I know enough to understand the technical scope of what I want to achieve or offer our customers, but have no idea of how to get it to work!

DIGITAL LIFESTYLE

- How does mobile technological progress influences your daily routine in your work?

For Cherrysauce it simply allows us the capability and freedom to offer better products and richer experiences to our customers. This increases ARPU and revenues (so everyone is happy!) and also brings us closer to the commercial potential of the internet. Let’s face it, our ‘area of business’ is visually based. WML of 3 years ago was very, very, restrictive – image, text, link, image, text, link and it didn’t go much further than that. AND all images had to be no more than 100pixels wide so all handset screens could see it! In just 3 years, we have come such a long away! There are some amazing applications hitting the phones and we can offer much better wap sites with better earning potential for us and a better experience for our users.

- Which tools you use to publish, blog or moblog your work?

Content production:
Coming from a design background, we use the traditional tools such as Photoshop and Premier to format our products.

Wap Platforms:
We use different platform providers depending on what we are delivering. Cherrysauce sits on a tailor-made platform and ‘author’ built by Safira Solutions. We partner with Mirror Image Access for larger scale projects, such as managing the adult areas for network operators or multi-brand portals for leading media owners.

- Which applications and services do you use regulary on your phone?

Wap for testing and a lot of text messaging.

I am one of the people in the stats released at Mobile Content World in September last year who said that the mobile industry didn’t use the content and applications it sells to end-consumers. Although, you have to admit, in my case – it’s a little understandable! ☺

Also, with the 16 hour days and intensity that we work under, trying to grow the company (which is 100% self-funded), I want very little to do with a mobile in the few hours I have off! Haha! It would be like a busman’s holiday!

- Would you use your device to interact with other machines?

Absolutely! The great thing about mobile is that it is ALWAYS with you. If you forget to take it anywhere, it’s like you’ve lost an arm. For this reason, convergence with some of the other crap I carry around everywhere with me would be great! See below for more details.

- Which machine-to-machine can you think of would be handy to interact with?

I love the idea of using the mobile as a credit card / payment mechanic – being connected directly with your bank and for example using PSMS for vending machines or the mobile bar-codes for purchasing things in shops. If it continues to develop in this direction, the check-out would become just putting stuff in the bag and removing the security tag (which would go off if you HAD NOT scanned prior to leaving the shop of course!) and you would have fewer queues. I would like all receipts to come in as text messages, so you wouldn’t have to carry them all in purses, bags and pockets.

I also like the idea of your mobile also being used as the remote control for interactive TV. Using it to cover both navigation and payment. .It would also be so much easier for content and production companies to integrate with as apposed to the ‘set-top-box’.

- Would you download mp3 tunes on your phone? Share them with friends? Mobsharing? Any thoughts on DRM?

I adore music and can’t work without it, but have never downloaded a song to my phone. Maybe I am just too old! But again… I like the idea because it minimizes my having to carry lots of different machines around for different purposes! The idea of having 1 or at most 2 machines to manage all aspects of my life, coupled to a great and secure back-up system, sounds like heaven itself!

We are just starting to integrate DRM now and basically, because it is included in a new platform we are using, I do feel it is one of the important missing links for mobile entertainment. It was always going to happen, the question was when.

- What about Mobile TV?

There is so much hype about this, but I can’t get it to sit in my head comfortably as a great idea. My first question is WHY? Why would I want to watch TV on my phone instead of on my 32” TV for example? Is it because I am going to be late home and don’t want to miss Eastenders? In which case – train / tube /motorway and associated bridges would not give me a smooth and continuous reception, which would frustrate me.

I have spent my entire adult career working with ‘new media’ channels, but feel very frustrated when that new media is a simple translation of exactly the same product it was in another channel. They say that when television first aired, they tried to make it as much like radio as possible (still images with voiceovers), so that people could relate to it. I wonder if that is what is happening here.

I have written a lot about how consumers interact with their mobiles differently than they do with TV, the radio and even their computer. TV is a passive media, Mobile isn’t. It has many distinct features, such as mobility, impulsiveness and instant access that no other media can copy and as a result I can’t understand why we aren’t focusing more on creating new entertainment products that commercially blend with the consumer’s natural behavioral patterns with his phone! Simply putting TV programs on mobile seems like such a cop out.

I know the first thing you will ask here is if this isn’t the same issue for adult videos on mobile. It’s different for many reasons – Arousal and natural human drives and desires bring me the consumer demand. The mobility of mobile allows and caters for impulsiveness and instant gratification. A combination not possible in other medias because if our customer waits until tonight when he gets home and is in front of his computer or TV, our ‘consumer demand’ will have probably passed! Also, without going into to much detail, I have learnt that adult movies are put into scenes for a very valid reason. Therefore putting full length adult movies on mobile is not what it’s about either! The user’s natural interaction with adult entertainment lends itself well to the ‘clip/scene’ nature of PSMS and mobile.

GEEK STUFF

- How do you experience the Mobile Internet? Which mobile browsers do you use?

Just the standard ones in the mobiles we have.

- What are your favourite mobile user-generated content projects?

Not so much favourite, but I aspire for the mobile internet to be like the internet.. Geocities for mobile. From bizarre to informational and everything in-between. Having a free creative/informational space for the general public, but with the added benefit of mobility!

- MoSoSo + wi-fi + urban networks = ?

This means nothing to me ☹

- Do you develop content/technology yourself?

What Cherrysauce specializes in is bringing these different elements together in a rapidly developing industry to offer the best possible to the end-consumer. There are a lot of companies in our space that have a mobile background and want to add an adult element or visa versa. Cherrysauce’s background is in both! We really understand the adult consumer, his behaviour and what he wants, but we also understand the potential and restrictions of the mobile environment. Putting the two together successfully, whether for adult entertainment or anything else is the combination of both business and consumer fulfilling his objectives and getting what they wanted out of the experience.

Around this time last year, we saw a big gap in the market for content produced specifically for the mobile space. With videos for example, if a clip can only be 30 seconds, needs to offer value for money by arousing the end-consumer, can’t show anything explicit AND at the same time needs to be under 250k (i.e. a typical mobile spec for a glamour clip!) you have a problem. Simply taking a DVD clip of a girl touching her breasts for 30 seconds really delivers a poor experience, taken out of context. The novelty factor of being able to see this on a mobile has helped out commercially, but consumers are savvier now and DESERVE to get value for money.

We did some of our own production and actually produced the video content for the Vodafone 3g bikini-babe screensaver. (She does something different depending on whether you get a call or text message etc). But it wasn’t the direction we want to take the company in and it was taking our focus away from the core business.

However, we are now seeing the emergence of a new breed of erotic and adult production companies, so we work with these guys instead of continuing to produce our own. Their focus is on producing image and video based products that are shot ONLY for the mobile environment – on-deck and off-deck. And you can really see the difference, not only in the quality, but also in value to the customer and resulting sales. These guys achieve all the technical restrictions above whilst retaining quality and customer experience. As a result, more compelling mobile-optimised products are created, based on planning, pre-production and shooting with an in-depth understanding of the mobile space.

FUTURE OF MOBILE

- How do you see the future of mobile?

More convergence AND integration with other technology products/gadgets. Commercially, I think this will continue to develop related to target audiences like we are already starting to see with the N-gage for gamers, the Sony Ericsson Walkman for music lovers or the Simbian phones for business guys.

Increased payment options and integration with billing companies and banks to use mobile as a payment devise for content and services NOT on the mobile.

Location based services – both for dating and information (show me an Indian restaurant/record shop in a 5km radius).

- What do you think about the Fixed-Mobile-Internet convergence?

As Cherrysauce’s D2C offering is based around wap (and not shop-front wap, but more of a website experience in a mobile handset), this is obviously an important part of our business focus. We have always produced our wap site to turn the technical restrictions into another quality for the consumer. For example, back in 2003, instead of just showing text lists of image galleries in wap, we added text and anecdotes to entertain the user and take him on more of a journey. Technology is advancing rapidly and of course it is possible to view full website in mobile, although again, I feel this is simply trying to translate one media to another (a bit like TV to mobile). Mobile Internet is dependent on choice, diversity, information and creating specific products that utilise the benefits of the mobile environment.

I really look forward to the day where we have the speed, usability and choice to use our mobile internet in the same way we use our PC internet!

- 3G vs. Wi-Fi?

Again, specifically for Cherrysauce, wi-fi has appeal due to the data-charge issues that 3g and the operators will bring. It’s still being finalised as to how the operators will charge for this, but you can bet your bottom dollar, that it will be the content providers who foot the biggest chunk of the costs and we are already last in line for payouts despite it being our content that brings the value to the sale. Therefore, will we see that the technology and media owners gear their products and services to a wi-fi environment??

However, it will be 3g that the operators push to market and this will be what the general public will buy as a result. It will be a PC – Mac scenario. PC for general public, Mac for the passionate or dedicated!

- Hybrid phones?

For market segmentation - Yes (i.e. walkmans, n-gage etc), but it will probably be reliant on public take up of handset trends. I work in the industry and find buying a mobile so bloody confusing, so many different handsets that all do different things, some have this, but not that, some are better for some features, but miss others I really want. I don’t know if I want more choice, but I certainly would like more clarity for my specific needs!

- What differences do you see of mobile use in USA – Europe - Asia?

Coming from a Cherrysauce angle, the differences are based around the gaps between what consumers want to purchase and what the networks are willing to offer. I believe the UK has been incredibly innovative and dynamic in its approach to erotic and adult entertainment in mobiles. Competing network operators came together to find a solution and more importantly, a way to benefit commercially, whilst securing brand perception and the protection of minors. A wonderful example of the different sides of the industry coming together to expand the potential of an industry. A mere 18 months ago, you could not show nipples on Vodafone live, now, with the use of the Vodafone’s access controls, consenting adults can view the same level of content as they can on Cable TV (we call it ‘simulated’ – it’s obvious what they are up to, but you don’t actually see any penetration).

Asia is starting to open up to some erotica very slowly, but it is mostly still paid for and downloaded from the web, which defeats the benefits that mobility brings.

And the same with the States, we are getting increasing requests and interest from the states, but we are still talking ‘bikini’ level content (excluding lingerie in many cases). I get the feeling it will happen in a similar way to the UK, but over a much longer timeframe.

- What is gonna be the next *big thing* in mobile?

From an adult perspective - live video chat!
Text chat was a total boom in mobile and webcams in internet and is still one of the best ARPU, customer-loyalty related products around. It effectively brings web-cams and mobile together and is just a killer app! Compulsive, totally immersive and REAL! It will go crazy!

Cherry is working with CC Media to deliver live web-cams. We had been approached by many companies who had a lot of talk, but were missing ‘something’ in the application of their service from a consumer perspective or it simply didn’t work. Quite often it worked in a 3g phone (which has no market penetration yet), but not in a 2.5g phone and because it is self-funded, Cherry looks for immediate returns in all its endeavours.

CC media come from the internet environment and have been running ‘flirt’ and adult web-cams for 7 years, so their technology is 2nd to none, but it actually WORKS in both 2.5g and 3 phones! However, what really sold it to me was the great consumer-focused front-end experience - the usability, billing and quality of the ‘chat-hosts’.

- The mobile trend(s) for this and next year?

2006 – The world Cup! It will open up a plethora of great new applications, technology, content and consumer demand!

(fyi: the interview was taken before the World Cup)

2007 – Location based services and applications.
- Video based domination of entertainment products

PERSONAL FAVORITES

- Who inspires you professionally?

The smaller boutique companies in our wonderfully diverse industry. These are the guys who have little or no investment, can’t get traffic or sales simply by throwing tons of cash at placements and have to use creativity and innovation to find their customers and sales. They work long, long hours and build the business the old-fashioned way – from the ground up!

- Your favorite mobile moblog or technology blog?

However hard I try, I never seem to find enough time to read blogs on a regular basis! ☹ If and when I do, it’s the Mobhappy blog. I find many of the articles very relevant and it covers a lot in mobile entertainment . General as well as adult.

- Your favorite mobile device?

Nokia / Symbian phones. However hard I try to move to something else, I find them cumbersome and ill-suited to how I navigate and use my phone.

- Favorite mobile application/service?

From a business perspective – I still have to stick with Live Video Chat. I just think it’s the perfect application for the mobile space and the ABC1 target audience.

- Your ultimate dream scenario including mobile?

The same speed, usability, richness and choice for the mobile internet as we have in the computer based internet – but to confirm my previous point, DEFINITELY NOT the computer internet squashed into a mobile screen!

- The ultimate tech device not invented yet?

I read BEING DIGITAL, by Nicolas Negroponte when I got my first job in an Interactive Design Agency. I totally fell in love with the idea of the ‘digital butler’. He was a small hologram who was connected to and managed all the other electrical and technology gadgets in your life. The cool example I remember was if you were driving home, he would inform you that you were out of milk and that you were about to approach a garage that sold the particular brand you liked.

- Which links would you like to be included?

www.cherrysauce.com

And for the amateurs on your Mobile:

http://wap.com/babetastic - recent launch
http://wap.com/cupandsaucy - world cup glamour site

I have been told these are glamour sites – so the worst you will see is a nipple!
- Who else could you recommend to be interviewed next?

Anne Thomas, Business Development Director, wapple.net

- Anything else you would like to add? Something the big players are missing?

Mobile entertainment is about creating NEW services for a new environment and a new audience, not re-using what we already have pushed into a smaller screen

Thanks, Julia - it was great meeting you, another cocktail?

Note: Julia looks much better irl then on this picture

cherrysauce, julia dimambro, Women in Mobile, womeninmobile