For years we used to hear about mobile marketing as of a revolutionary idea. However, although expectations were high, for a long time it was regarded as a niche area of marketing communications, at least when speaking from the European perspective. The main obstacle seemed to be mainly the lack of connectivity required for delivering interactive and emotionally appealing content engaging with consumers through the “mobile Web”. However, with 174.2m smart phones sold in 2009 across the globe – representing a y-o-y increase of 15.1% – and mobile networks gradually increasing their bandwidth, mobile has become a medium that no marketer can longer ignore.

In simple terms, digital marketing is shifting from “the Web” to “the mobile Web”. Of course, it’s more complicated than that, but we are obviously witnessing another change in consumer behavior. While a few years ago Marshall Sella claimed in the New York Times that “a man with a TV is doomed to isolation, a man with a computer can belong to a community”, now it seems that similarly to TV, a cell phone without enabled data should be regarded as an isolated device.

IDC’s analysts predict that already this year, the number of data enabled cell phones should reach more than 1 billion. This means only 300,000 less compared to the number of desktops connected to the Internet. Also, we can be quite confident this ranking shall change fast, with the number of cell phone connections growing 2.5 times faster compared to desktops. This means the connected mobile device overtakes the old-fashioned desktop already by 2013.

More relevant, more effective

Now, what does this fast change mean to marketers? Communication agencies will have to act as content developers, delivering entertaining or useful branded content and applications to mobile users. The advantages of mobile marketing are obvious – it is the cooperation with network operators what makes mobile the one-to-one marketing tool of today. Using data supplied by operators, we are able to target users according to their age, gender, interests, sites they visit, spending, geographical location and even the brand of mobile device they use.

Making marketing communications more relevant means a greater effectiveness as well. Showcases from the Czech Republic show that the average CTR of targeted banners placed on the “mobile Web” is approximately 30 times higher compared to the “classical Web” with response rates to direct communication reaching more than 12%.

However, let’s not forget that the “mobile Web” is not only a medium but a nearly perfect distribution channel as well. By clicking on a banner and filling out a form, the user is able to order goods and services, reserve concert, theatre or cinema tickets or to book flights, test drives and to receive discount coupons. Mobile is a very personal channel offering instant interaction and is therefore predestined to become an integral – if not the most important – part of future marketing campaigns.

Kristián Hloušek, Strategic Planner, Proximity Prague