Is Mobile over-hyped? Alexandre Mars CEO Phonevalley

Phonevalley submitted two great articles for our first ever GoMo News magazine out in October. This is one of them and the perfect taster for what is to come.

Alexandre Mars
CEO Phonevalley & Head of Mobile Publicis Groupe

You did not receive Obama’s text message to announce Joe Biden as his Vice-President.

You were not one of the many who downloaded the 500 million iPhone applications from the iTunes App Store over the last 6 months.
You were poked on Facebook Mobile and don’t know what it means.

Hey! What planet do you live on?!

Relax. In 2009, someone entirely out of the mobile game is truly an exception as mobile like roses are now cosmopolitan in nature! Cell phones are now considered a status symbol as well as a necessity. If an individual is searched under any suspicion, a mobile phone is the most likely device to be found on the person. Nearly every individual, whether in a crowded train or jogging on a deserted path, has a portion of their attention solely devoted to their mobile ringtone or vibration. Who wouldn’t pay attention to an all-encompassing device that features voice calling, email, text messaging, TV, internet, alarm, etc? Even you, the reader, would pause momentarily if your mobile happens to vibrate or ring at this very moment.

Mobile has given telecommunication a new breath of life. This little gadget is now ubiquitous, enjoying penetration rates of nearly 100% in 30 countries. Even those that were once skeptical of mobile have started singing in different tune after seeing its powerful influence on the business world in such a short span of time; this has never been done by any other electronic device before. It took nearly half a century for traditional media like TV & radio, and two decades for the PC. However, mobile has secured a safe place in less than a decade. It has become a necessity across all levels of society. According to a recently conducted survey, there are 1.5 billion TV sets, 900 million personal computers, 800 millions cars, 1.4 billion credit cards but nearly 4 billion mobile subscriptions globally! This means that there than 4 times as many mobile phones than there are automobiles or personal computers.

Mobile also goes to bed. Yes, 60% of people take their mobile phones to bed with them. The little screen is given preference over a wedding ring by 20% people across the world, who say they would rather lose their wedding ring than their phone. Without a shadow of doubt, 1/3 of Singaporean women think it is important to match their handbag with their phone, 64% of Indians below 30 say that mobile is now their “first” screen and close to 15% of the Y-generation prefer to text instead of talk – even if they are sitting beside the person!

Mobile marketing makes every time, the right time to reach the consumers. People can now be engaged with a particular product, offer, brand or service while they are commuting to work, on vacation, at home, etc. Mobile can now be used for promotions, increasing brand awareness, developing loyalty and launching new products. Thousands of mobile campaigns run every year. Virtually all industries have discovered mobile’s unique potential to target specific demographics with subtlety and, consequently, with great return on investment. Mobile marketing is no longer a trend-setter’s tool; it has become a strategic asset in mass reach campaigns.

It has been predicted that mobile will set new trends in the mercurial world of digital marketing. Mobile is able to fully encapsulate the marketer’s concepts and motives behind a campaign. While other channels may struggle to make a significant impression, mobile marketing enables brands to secure a lasting impact on the mind’s conscious level, thereby allowing users to consequently identify the brand upon exposure.

Many reasons explain mobile’s appeal to consumers, the most unique being the special and intimate relationship they develop with their cell phone. This relationship drives mobile users to recall advertisements on their cell phones in significant ways. A recent survey indicates that one third of US mobile consumers recall seeing a mobile ad, while one in three of them respond in some way (by visiting a brand’s mobile internet site, calling a toll free number, or replying by text message). What is even more interesting is that one in seven people report that they have bought a product or visited a store as a result of seeing a mobile advertisement (over 25% of iPhone users).

Come back earth!
Due to mobile’s position as an omnipresent and personal device in today’s world, you can undoubtedly bet your bottom dollar on its huge marketing potential. Now, if you still don’t have a cell phone, just remember that the proof of the pudding is in eating! And I’ll bet my own bottom dollar you will taste it soon!