Dialing for Dollars
Session: Mobile Marketing (It’s Here and It’s Real)
This panel comprised a wide-ranging crew of qualified service providers representing all companies involved in mobile marketing: an association head, a marketing firm, an advertising agency representing advertisers, a product developer and a technology company. Everyone had impressive client rosters - including companies like Reebok, Comedy Central, Volkswagen, JetBlue, and Procter & Gamble - as well as quick case studies, but only a couple of panelists offered immediately actionable advice and ideas.
It’s not just Ad:Tech, trust me, but I get frustrated by presentations or panel discussions that are basically just a rapid-fire roundup of related examples. As the industry continues to evolve, I think we need to move beyond proof of concept - and investment rationalization - more quickly and start sharing more lessons and practices.
Nihal Mehta, president of ipsh! telegraphed some of the lessons shared by Nathan Woodman, an account director for MPGMedia Contacts. And together, they provide some practical insight on what will help make mobile marketing campaigns work, and work well:
- Mobile marketing is currently driven by the younger demographics.
- The music and entertainment industry is a natural first fit.
- Client companies need to have an intrinsic audience such as teens or business travelers. (I’d warrant sports fans would also be an interesting niche.)
- Promoted products and services need to be intimate and personal.
- Calls to action need to be immediate.
- Brand identities need to be innovative.
Other panelists did mirror some of the above, so it might be that Mehta and Woodman had that first speakers’ advantage. In fact, Carrie Himelfarb, VP of sales for Vindigo offered a powerful example of when mobile marketing will work best: “Retail is really interesting,” she says. “I’m on the street corner looking for a product. That’s a good time for Best Buy to talk to me.”
When I can walk down the street past a bookstore and get an SMS indicating that a book on my wantlist is in stock - and on sale just for me - I’ll be an extremely happy man.
A full transcript of this session is also available.
