FOX's 'American Idol' launched more than singing careers -- it launched AT&T's text messaging business.

In addition to crowning new pop stars, FOX Network's 'American Idol' also contributed to the creation of the text-messaging generation -- with the help of AT&T, Mobliss and Sales promotion agency Einson Freeman, Inc.

In this, the show's third season, viewers know how and when to text-message their votes. But last year, when Clay Aiken and Reuben Studdard faced off, the concept was fairly new. So as viewers voted for their favorite crooners, they increased their interest in text messaging.

Einson Freeman helped AT&T Wireless boost use of text messaging by creating a sweepstakes called 'Live Like an Idol.' Text voters got a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to Beverly Hills or New York for themselves and nine friends.

"The vast majority of AT&T Wireless customers have text-capable handsets, but were not using this feature. By incentivising them -- via the sweeps and ability to vote and get 'American Idol' content -- we were able to significantly increase the number of subscribers who tried texting, which was the primary way for them to participate," says Cory Kallet, senior partner at Einson Freeman.

To promote the contest to 18- to 34-year-olds when and where they were most receptive, the company took an integrated offline/online approach. Offline, they ran 30-second spots during the 'American Idol' show, radio commercials, and print ads in such publications as People and US, and developed in-store point-of-purchase displays. Online promotions included Web banners on the AT&T wireless sites and email to subscribers. They also employed traditional direct mail.

The promotion and contest not only succeeded in motivating people to try text-messaging, it met a second goal of driving repeat usage. “More than 2 million users had never sent a text message prior to the kick-off of this program,” Kallet says, “and by its completion, more than 5 million emerged as repeat text-messaging voters.”

That's because the more text messages people sent, the more chances they had to win one of the many prizes. Any text message sent during the promotional period counted as an entry -- it didn't have to be related to 'American Idol'. This broadened both the number of people texting and the number of messages sent. As a result, the average number of text messages sent by a typical texter increased from fewer than five per month before the program to 23 per month.

“This link-up really helped jump-start texting for AT&T Wireless, as subscribers sent more than seven-and-a-half million text messages during Idol’s four-month airing last season,” says Kallet.

In fact, it jump started the text-messaging craze. “The biggest obstacle standing in the way of wireless success has been consumer adoption,” Brian Hill, COO of Mobliss told Joseph Jaffe recently. “However, with shows like 'American Idol,' a significant number of consumers now understand what it means when you see 'text to <some_short_code>' similar to when consumers started seeing URLs in advertisements. At first, it was new. Now it's commonplace.”

Incidentally, Einson Freeman, Inc. won top honors from the Promotion Marketing Association (PMA) two weeks ago for this promotion. Last fall, Einson also won a PRO Award from Promo Magazine for it.