Go mobile or get ready to lose customers
But if there is one takeaway that really sank in after the Mobile Marketing Conference last March, it's that silo-ed is not the way to go. Your mobile marketing campaign needed to keep the mobile user in mind...but it should also integrate fully with all aspects of your marketing strategy.
Some brands already do this beautifully, employing "transmedia" approaches to tie consumers in across mobile, social channels, print or television and more. These are some of our favorites, each tailored to their ideal user:
For the thirsty TV viewer: What do we do while we watch TV? These days the answer may include "grab a snack" or "drink a beer," but it frequently also includes using at least one other screen, perhaps texting with friends or playing an online game. Enter Grolsch / Big Bold Grolsch
This campaign goes from a TV spot to an online interaction to SMS to a coupon code with directions to the nearest store. Employing compelling storytelling and a continuous stream of actions for the viewer, the path to purchase couldn't be clearer. Casual viewers are turned into purchases as they are engaged across multiple screens.
For the fanatic:
Your audience already exists and they will be online talking about your product, how do you guide or harness the energy of that conversation? Recent blockbusters Prometheus and The Hunger Games already had built in audiences via the Alien movies and The Hunger Games Trilogy respectively, but would they have been such box office gold if it weren't for their multidimensional campaigns?
From this viral faux-TED talk: to a hashtag campaign Prometheus employed a wide range of strategies to re-energize existing Ridley Scott fans and drive online buzz about the film prior to its release.
Similarly, The Hunger Games played a long game with its existing fans, drawing the community into an addictive online world. As this New York Times article notes:
"But the campaign’s centerpiece has been a phased, yearlong digital effort built around the content platforms cherished by young audiences: near-constant use of Facebook and Twitter, a YouTube channel, a Tumblr blog, iPhone games and live Yahoo streaming from the premiere."
For brands that have a history and existing fans, consider using a compelling content strategy across media to re-energize your base and fuel new interest.
For the Savvy Showroomer: Target made waves last May when it opted out of selling Amazon's Kindle tablets. The New York Times reported that:
"Target has been trying to figure out how to stop Amazon shoppers from visiting Target stores to check out products, and then buy them online from Amazon."
However, the retailer is taking steps beyond the exiling of the Kindle to encourage shoppers to visit the store and complete purchases on site. Most notably may perhaps be the Target partnership with Shopkick.
I see multimedia campaigns like this continuing to grow. Mobile is an increasingly big slice of the marketing funnel and we're excited to see more solutions that incorporate it as part of the bigger picture. What interesting strategies have you come across lately, or how could you apply these strategies to your brand?
Michelle LeBlanc is a Social Media Strategist at IIR USA with a specialization in marketing. She may be reached at mleblanc@iirusa.com
