Mobile - The New Era in Marketing

Understanding How to Get Your Mobile Marketing Right

BEIJING, May 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the CNNIC (China Internet Network Information Center), there are 388 million Chinese netizens who use mobile phones for online usage, surpassing the 380 million of those who use computers for online usage. Mobile undoubtedly presents unique opportunities but also faces unique challenges, as marketers must balance how they reach out to the mobile user with impact but still unobtrusively.

Based on Millward Brown's China AdReaction report findings, over the past three years, China consumers are more willing to accept online advertising, including ads in mobile formats. Further, four-fifths of the mobile and tablet users report taking action in response to mobile advertising. With such a significant proportion of consumers responding to mobile advertising, we must take advantage of that and understand how different individuals use and relate to their mobile devices. We must understand the role that mobile can and should play in the marketing mix. Finally, we need to know how mobile can amplify or diminish brand equity. Here is what we learned:

• Mobile itself, as a marketing medium, provides opportunity to reach and influence different audiences: according to the CNNIC (China Internet Network Information Center), smartphones have allowed more rural Chinese to log online in areas where fixed-line networks are not covered.
• Mobile phones provide flexibility and mobility: unlike other media channels, mobile content can be accessed largely anywhere and offering multiple consumer contexts in different mindsets.
• Mobile devices provide an instant and ongoing conversation with brands: constant connection and timely information of products and services around mobile users combined with location-based special offers and instant gratification help target and accurately complete more personalized communication preferences.

Despite having the above advantages, there are a set of guiding principles that advertisers and marketers need to bear in mind, given mobile is such an intimate device: it is the last device you look at before going to bed at night and the first device you reach for when you wake up in the morning.

According to Millward Brown's AdReaction study, in order to succeed in the marketing space, advertisers and marketers need to show more respect. Respect for the mobile platform and for the mobile audience:

• Relevance: Target as tightly and appropriately as possible. Make sure your content is tailored to the context where they will most likely experience it. Design it with the core target, primary use, and operating system in mind.
• Engagement: Respect consumers' mindset. Provide a reason for them to stay and reuse. Social media and Augmented Reality applications, in particular, provide great opportunity for brands to engage consumers. According to AdReaction's data, around half of the mobile users favor newsfeed posts on their mobile devices from brands they have liked or follow on social networking sites; also around half of the mobile users favor Augmented Reality applications.
• Surprise & delight: Greet consumers with appealing creative design. Use more visuals and less texts, try to apply more bright colors and ensure that the layout is tidy. People want a companion in their pocket, not a bully. Aim to put a smile on their face with every mobile connection.
• Play to strengths: Understand the unique roles mobile can play in the marketing mix and how it can reflect and link to other channels.
• Exchange: Offer something of value in return; free, if you can. Do not ask for too much personal information up-front. Leave the user in control.
• Competence: Make sure your mobile ad is clear, functional and easy to use.
• Time & place: Tailor content and deals to when and where they are most likely to be consumed.

In summary, respect is not about forcing people to engage by being intrusive. Rather, it is about generating voluntary engagement via relevance, being highly targeted, highly sensitive to their mindset in the mobile environment, and highly aware of how consumers want to engage in the mobile space.

According to Millward Brown's ad effectiveness normative database MarketNorm, the brand impact of mobile campaigns can be as much as four times the impact of online campaigns, but many marketers have yet to improve their tactics.

Mobile marketing is undoubtedly the future of marketing but more sophistication and consideration are needed to succeed. Respecting the wants and needs of consumers and the distinctiveness of the platform is essential and can be the difference between damaging your brand and inspiring immediate action.

About AdReaction

The AdReaction 2012 study was conducted using qualitative and/or quantitative methodologies across 18 countries. The study was designed to understand what marketers need to know to explore advertising in the mobile space with confidence. While there are many examples of early successes in mobile marketing, it remains new territory for many. Technology has raised the bar for advertisers, and consumers now expect more – marketers must master the delicate balance of effectively connecting with consumers without overstepping boundaries. AdReaction 2012 highlights the ad formats that successfully achieve this balance and outlines the opportunity for marketers and publishers to innovate, test, learn and effectively use mobile to build brands.

About Millward Brown

Millward Brown is one of the world's leading research agencies and is expert in effective advertising, marketing communications, media and brand equity research. Through the use of an integrated suite of validated research solutions — both qualitative and quantitative — Millward Brown helps clients build strong brands and services. Millward Brown has more than 86 offices in 56 countries. Additional practices include Millward Brown's Global Media Practice (media effectiveness unit), The Neuroscience Practice (using neuroscience to enhance traditional research techniques), Millward Brown Optimor (focused on helping clients maximize the returns on their brand and marketing investments), Dynamic Logic (the world leader in digital marketing effectiveness) and Firefly Millward Brown (a global qualitative research business). Millward Brown is part of Kantar, WPP's insight, information and consultancy group.

For more information, please contact:

Christine Zhang
+86-010-5857-9188
Christine.zhang@millwardbrown.com