| Mobile has a lot of attention at the moment and a lot | | | | if you are looking for hard results and not just branding |
| of camps - SMS (text messaging), MMS, WAP (mobile | | | | (and let's be honest, bragging rights to be the first have |
| websites), mobile apps (iPhone, BlackBerry and other | | | | gone!), you can't go past SMS as the key channel to |
| smartphones). I liked some of the statements coming | | | | connecting with consumers via mobile. Unless you |
| out of executives at the recent IAB | | | | have a branding campaign, start with text and build |
| Marketplace-Mobile conference in New York recently. | | | | around this. Most businesses fall into this category - |
| In particular, the panelists were in agreement that it | | | | they are looking to drive sales or relationships with |
| was about keeping it simple and focusing on value for | | | | customers, but what you tend to see in the press is |
| the consumer in order to generate value for all parties. | | | | the latest campaign from Nike or other big brand who |
| Mobile works for the consumer when there is a clear | | | | can afford to experiment with a small part of their |
| value proposition, whether this is something practical | | | | consumer base. |
| and useful, or entertaining. This is interesting when | | | | A basic tip to think about when building out other |
| considering choices on what mobile interaction to | | | | mobile components of any campaign - be consistent |
| engage with and comparing that for example with | | | | with consumers. We see too many brands re-creating |
| hype surrounding the iPhone. | | | | mobile websites that differ greatly from their normal |
| We do love the guys over at Hyperfactory, maybe | | | | websites and forcing customers to use them. Quite |
| because they started off in a similar place in the world | | | | often those who use the mobile web are happy to |
| to us (they began in New Zealand, us in Australia) but | | | | surf their way around a businesses normal website to |
| more importantly because they speak simplicity when | | | | find the information they are after. We hear a lot of |
| it comes to their campaigns. The key for us is treating | | | | complaints from people who are forced onto a mobile |
| all of a brands consumers with respect, not just the | | | | website that is a poor cousin of their normal website. |
| 5% who can use iPhone apps. Derek Handley, one of | | | | Ultimately, businesses won't need a separate mobile |
| the Co-founders said simply that "In the US 90% of | | | | website, most new smartphones sold today work well |
| people have a mobile device. If we want to have the | | | | with normal websites. |
| maximum input, we have to cater to the lowest | | | | We're not the only ones who think that consistency |
| common denominator." | | | | can be a problem - Jeff Arbour, Senior VP of North |
| This in particular is very important for brands and | | | | America for Hyperfactory emphasised that keeping |
| businesses that have customers who are not all on | | | | consumers comfortable is an important factor in the |
| smartphones. Nealy every mobile phone user knows | | | | mobile space and that consistency across all |
| how to use text messaging, but only a minor proportion | | | | platforms, including mobile is key. He said; "Rather than |
| surf the mobile web and an even smaller proportion | | | | focusing on the mobile app space, you can focus on |
| use mobile applications. This is not to say that they | | | | creativity in the mobile web space....The two key things |
| shouldn't be used, but it is important to understand that | | | | to focus on are consistency in content and aesthetics. |