Back to Basics

The GSMA yesterday announced its first batch of Mobile Media Metrics, in association with all of the major UK MNO’s. 2 years in development, these statistics not only mark early signs of the mobile industry working together towards a common goal, but it also signals what we hope is the start of a swift adoption of mobile as a platform on which brands and businesses can target their varying audiences.

‘But mobile is common place in marketing already!’ I hear you cry.

Yes it is being employed, but is the quality and targeting of said work demonstrating not just ROI and all the other buzzword bullshit, but true engagement with its users?

O2 conducted a survey amongst senior marketers, which revealed that 58% said they would invest more of their marketing budgets in the medium once there was a better measurement of effectiveness, while 47% stated that better targeting would make them invest more in mobile.

What these stats offer is the opportunity to perform a detailed segmentation of the market, and create data that will allow marketers to produce effective, targeted mobile content that the consumer can engage with. And hell if they become more aware of the brand or it produces a conversion in the process, everyone is happy.

What we do not want to forget is true engagement induces trust in the consumer/brand relationship which can reinforce and even grow brand loyalty (a powerful tool in any marketer’s handbook). You don’t have to make your audience laugh! Try giving them something that will improve their lives!

So, let’s take a step back. Forget about augmented reality, apps using accelerometers and beautiful mobile websites with no bloody function. What is best for the user?

SMS is an immensely powerful advertising medium when used in the correct fashion, and provides universal access to any of the worlds 4Billion odd mobiles (if you can afford the data!). Yet we as agencies, brands and businesses are far too keen to jump ahead and utilise the very latest tech that 90% of the consumer base don’t even know exists.

Slow down mobile industry! Return to the core values of marketing and when formulating a strategy, take your time!

• Consider current marketing performance, the consumer, competitors and the core business objectives before setting marketing objectives.
• Define a customer value proposition using correctly defined channels (mobile may not even be applicable!) before defining the marketing strategy.
• And only when you have considered the consumer experience, can you even begin to consider implementing a mobile channel into the mix.

Mobile will continue to grow and develop as platform, so you need your finger on the pulse. Just because some CEO with a ghost writer has told you ‘2010 is the Year of Mobile’, cut through the crap and understand that mobile is already the world’s most powerful marketing medium.

You just need to know how to bloody use it.