When Mazda went mobile, it never expected that the WAP site would drive 40,000 unique visitors.

Targeting tech-savvy, high-income men, the Mazda Mobile mobile site was optimized for various phone types in terms of screen resolution, connectivity and speed, adjusting its presentation and format for optimal viewing. The Japanese automaker turned to marketing services firm iCrossing for help with the WAP site.

"We have been working with Mazda since 2002 and we are their primary partner for Web development," said Greg Morrell, senior vice president of client services for iCrossing, New York. "The mobile site started more as a pilot program and there isn't a call to action anywhere or a promotion around it.

"We aren't trying to drive awareness of the Mazda brand," he said. "We are just extending the Web site to mobile as a convenience to consumers. We are helping consumers get in touch with dealers and get information fast."

Mazda Mobile features vehicle information in a mobile-friendly format. The site has a rich application interface, providing core vehicle information and thumbnail photos, the ability to locate a dealer, a method to opt in for communications via SMS and access to contact Mazda North American operations.

Page weight was also considered for mobile content to load quickly and efficiently.

Mazda Mobile officially launched last year. Its 40,000-plus unique visitors have completed more than 38,000 key performance actions using the Dealer Locator, Inventory Search and Keep Me Updated opt-in areas of the site.

"The whole concept is to facilitate getting customers engaged with the Mazda dealership," Mr. Morrell said. "We are facilitating Mazda customers to get information quickly and effectively. For that reason, the design of the site is very simple and cuts to the chase. There isn't a lot of video or a browsing activity. It's more matter of fact."

In November, iCrossing added an application that allows users to find a local dealership and receive dealer locations and driving directions via SMS through requests originating on the computer Web site.

Additionally, mobile site visitors can now search for a car by VIN number to see which dealerships in their area have it.

The primary goal was to expand the reach of the brand and to also build and develop brand loyalty with the target audience by establishing the Mazda brand as innovative and ahead of the curve.

"The mobility aspect makes the site more of a tool than a promotion," Mr. Morrell said. "We think of the WAP as an extension of the shopping process, as we are helping consumers look for and get quick access to info they need while they are out and about.

"There is a click-to-call function," he said. "It's really about simplicity and thinking about how people use mobile from a localization standpoint."