Millward Brown's POV, March 2008

Mastering the Mobile Marketing Maze

Everyone's talking about mobile marketing as the next big thing. But despite the panoply of available options, the desired ROI is unlikely to be achieved without careful consideration and management. Success depends not just on knowing the range of mobile options, but on your ability to match these options to your brand's objectives.

Mobile marketing, though still in its infancy, already encompasses a wide range of options that can suit many different marketing needs. The ground rules have already been established: get permission from the consumer, and offer something that’s relevant, valuable, or useful. But within these boundaries, mobile can be used effectively in a number of ways. Mobile applications need not be limited to direct response (though they can excel at such tasks); they can serve other, less obvious functions as well.

An advertiser seeking the best mobile option first needs to consider what role mobile is meant to play in a campaign. Just like TV, print, and online advertising, mobile can be used to motivate a call to action, deliver information, or build brands. The table below lays out a number of mobile options against these three functions.

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