Mobile Marketing: a weapon of mass seduction

As with all forms of advertising, there are some brands that manage to catch consumer’s attention, interact with them and leave both parties feeling better off and some who just don’t get it. The ongoing success of mobile marketing, despite the economic downturn, has lured more companies, organisations and brands to this versatile medium, with mixed results.

One of the brands who definitely get the interactive, powerful nature of text messaging and mobile applications is Lynx – Unilever in the UK. In 2008 they launched an innovative campaign titled, ‘Get in There’, designed by creative agency, BBH. Lynx is a leading UK brand for male grooming products who needs to combat the trend towards online dating and chat room relationships by their potential customer base. The mobile campaign was aimed at persuading boys to get back out into the real world to meet real girls and of course using Lynx products, to do so. Advertising company, BBH, stated that it was “the first mobile (marketing) phone campaign that turns a handset into a pulling tool: a weapon of mass seduction.” Users were encouraged to download a range of applications from icebreaker sound effects, a “Fit Girl Finder’, a ‘Chat-Up Translator’ and a “Perfect Man Revealed’ quiz. Tips and tricks were supplied by bulk text message to offer support and encouragement for the ‘Get in There’ users.

The success of the campaign was enormous with almost 100,000 downloads soon after the launch. Whether users downloaded for a laugh or were really in dire dating need, this mobile marketing campaign fulfilled its purpose: it put Lynx in the headlines in terms of brand awareness, attracted new users and increased sales to existing users. It offered real value in terms of humour, real life interaction and a rich experience to users. For these reasons it won the Mobile Marketing Association’s Global Award for ‘Best Use of Mobile Marketing: Branding’.

Because it can be used for a variety of applications from customer acquisition to customer retention campaigns and to generate sales from both a physical location and mobile platform, mobile marketing is seen as the ‘new big thing’. Companies and brands jumping on the bandwagon for the chance to reach UK consumers through their most personal communication device, their mobile phones, need to remember a few things.

Firstly, respect and consideration for consumers shouldn’t go out the window just because you now have access to their private numbers. Brands that have shown outstanding success with their mobile marketing campaigns have a few important things in common. Consumers have chosen or ‘opted-in’ to receive marketing messages from them, these text messages are targeted and relevant and they offer perceived or actual value to the recipient. It is vital to think out of the box when designing a mobile marketing campaign and not just use text messaging as a blunt sledgehammer of a sales tool as you will soon have users opting out of communicating with your brand.

The Direct Marketing Association’s July 2008 survey shows that mobile marketing campaigns are the most successful mobile advertising medium with a 70% response rate. Using a mobile phone as a communications and marketing channel is cost-effective, targeted, gives measurable returns and generates a high response level. Just remember to use mobile marketing, your weapon of mass seduction, with respect.

Related posts:

1. Build your brand with bulk SMS marketing In today’s fast-paced, mobile world, marketing is what separates every...
2. Make Bulk SMS Your First Step Simply relying on the new technologies made available by the...
3. The SMS Gateway: A Business Imperative The Mobile Data Association estimates that 78.9 billion text messages...
4. Easy Mobile Messaging with SMTP Just the thought of transforming in-house communication systems with email...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Tags: 2 way SMS, bulk sms, bulk text message, bulk text messaging, Clickatell, email to SMS, global SMS, mobile applications, mobile campaign, mobile marketing, SMS, SMS campaigns, sms gateway, sms marketing, text messaging