Mobile marketing company iLoop Mobile launched a fun, free messaging service for parents this Christmas Eve that sends a text message from Santa to any United States mobile phone.

One of the hardest tasks on Christmas Eve is getting excited children into bed. iLoop Mobile lent a hand by offering an SMS service that sends a message from Santa to their mobile phone, telling children to head to bed without any further delay.

"The strategy was to show how fun and interactive mobile can be,? said Michael Ahearn, head of marketing and communications at iLoop Mobile, San Jose. ?We wanted to reach out to the industry and the world to show the possibilities that mobile brings.

?The two most important parts of mobile is it entertains and can serve as a utility,? he said.

ILoop Mobile is a provider of mobile marketing software and services for interactive mobile marketing and mobile content distribution.

When any parent texts the keyword SANTA to short code 44264, the following text message is returned:

?Hello children in the United States! I'll be at your house very soon. Listen to your parents and go to sleep now so I can bring your presents. Ho Ho Ho ?Santa.?

The service is offered at no cost and without any premium charges. Parents are charged for a standard text message as per their mobile subscription plan.

?As a child I remember the authority of radio station announcements of Santa being picked up by NORAD radar would get us into bed,? Mr. Ahearn said. ?iLoop takes that historical Christmas Eve event, and uses mobile to make it personalized for the next generation.?