Mobile advertising must be strategic to thrive, not just tactical

Over Christmas, GoMo News is posting articles written for us by leaders and innovators in the mobile space. Start-ups and established businesses from all over the industry have sent us piece looking back at the year that was, and ahead to 2010. Here’s our second, from Eamon Hession CEO of Púca – an Irish-based mobile marketing company.

Mobile marketing and advertising are certain to grow in 2010 and this will be driven by two major factors. Firstly, there is the ongoing need for more measurability and accountability in marketing budgets, and the mobile medium can provide this in spades. We’re going to continue seeing more and more SMS keywords and mobile Internet addresses being incorporated into TV, Radio and Print ads. Mobile is the device that consumers have with them always, anywhere so there’s no better way to add a response channel to advertising. Additionally, mobiles ability to enhance traditional advertising with interactivity and to effectively provide the linkage between ‘advertising’ and ‘sales’ will be further enhanced and strengthened, with increased options emerging around mobile coupons, mobile commerce and even augmented reality.

The second factor is mass adoption by consumers of the iPhone and other smartphones – both of which are flourishing despite economic conditions. These platforms are highly attractive to brands due to the interactive and rich media features they offer which allow brands to communicate brand values and engage with customers in a much more meaningful way. We’d expect to see the proliferation of brand-sponsored mobile apps continuing in 2010 but also extending beyond just iPhones with credible alternatives like Android (with Google’s weight behind it) starting to reach the mainstream.

As mobile marketing matures we’d also expect brands to take a more strategic, longer term approach to mobile. Much mobile marketing activity to date has been tactical, there to create short-term ‘wins’ like generating some good PR around an iPhone app or driving short-term sales through on-pack SMS promotions. Many campaigns to date seem to have been developed as an afterthought rather than being part of the planning from day one. What’s needed now is more of an effort by marketers to look at mobile as something that can drive (not just support) their strategy in 2010 and beyond. Mobile needs to be seen as a powerful interactive tool that can integrate at all levels, not just with existing PC/digital activities but with all of the company’s customer touchpoints right through from advertising to sales and customer loyalty. It’s not just about apps either: a creative blend encompassing say, SMS channels with Mobile Internet, Mobile Banner Ads and a Mobile App will maximise the reach and impact of any mobile campaign.

As companies look at the choices and possibilities presented by the mobile channel they’ll need a specialist mobile partner that can provide them with the kind of 360 degree technology and thinking they need to develop a successful, coherent and future-proof mobile strategy.