Enough of this mobile marketing snobbery

Some great innovation is taking place in mobile marketing. The small companies sometimes might not have the marketing clout to make the headlines. But young innovation shows that intellectual innovation, demand and grass roots making the best of a tough economic time continues to re-charge mobile marketing.

Phoenix based TextID is one example of this. Its business model is by no means unique. It is elementary. But if the elementary is in demand, they why knock it?

TextID makes newspaper adverts textable. It has a leasing keyword business that enables users to offer instant mobile marketing campaigns. For example you buy a keyword for about USD 10 per month and then you can set up a campaign to the TextID 555411 keyword. It is not rocket science and it is not new – but it is growing and the company is expanding. The specific focus on the business for the newspaper industry marks this as critical factor for newspaper firms gasping to keep afloat.

Similarly, 2ergo has teamed with AT&T for a youth marketing SMS effort. This is similar to Virgin Mobile’s FreeFest campaign. It allows the tour organisers to send tailored messages to festival attendees. The essence of the campaign is to text WARPED VANS 09 to 826709.

Once again this isn’t overly intellectual. But why do we dumb down the value and essence of these campaigns? At this time in mobile when echoes of trouble and less spending are being heard across the globe; any form of mobile marketing must be rejoiced. The prize for mobile marketing is for all companies (including the small) to be part of an eco-system promoting the mobile web.

Segmentation and snobbery in the mobile world is stopping this happening at the moment. I am the first to admit that reading about SMS campaigns doesn’t make my hair stand on end. So I’m the first to criticise myself as being one of these snobs in the mobile marketing space. But this has to change.

Mobile marketing is easily criticised and many services perceived, ignorantly, as SPAM or Mickey Mouse mobile marketing should be held in the same regard as innovation in mobile platforms. Why? Because if this doesn’t happen, the whole market will remain segmented. Critics of mobile marketing in agencies will win battles in the business and mobile marketing campaigns will not happen. This means the imagination of campaign managers will remain embroiled in a multi-media campaign that brands simply will not invest in and the mass marketing appeal of an affordable SMS offer will be left by the wayside.

The result? A continued lack of knowledge and understanding and imagination in the mobile marketing space.

It is a secret, but one major player in the European space was planning on purchasing the US iLoopMobile, but didn’t because of the traditional focus on SMS, TEXT, mobile content based backbone. I think this was a mistake for the very reasons I state above; SMS marketing is wanted and works and is affordable and doesn’t need any elaborate teaching.

Again, yesterday iLoop secured a partnership with Vienna based DIMOCO a company that provides solutions for MVNO’s and brands across Central and Eastern Europe. This itself is proof (with bells on) that the market for mobile marketing is in expansion. Mobile content is growing; SMS hasn’t peaked (in the advert sense) and mobile services have longevity. Banners and text are one side of the battle. They might make the better story, but at the end of the day specialists and modernists must rejoice in ALL mobile marketing… at least for the sake of the consumer.