Sponsor's Foreword - Jeremy Wright, Co-Founder, Enpocket
Back in 2001, when we launched Enpocket, I remember the first meetings we had with agencies and brands to tell them about the impact they could create in this first 'personal' medium with 160 characters of same-font text. Despite the initial limitations of mobile, the results of the trials in those early days were impressive: on response, branding, propensity to buy, and purchase. However, many were hesitant about how accepting consumers would be of marketing via the medium, and the graphical limitations meant agencies found it hard to see how they could add value and earn money from mobile.
Six years on, mobile is in a very different place. Best practices have evolved to allay all but the most sceptical marketers' concerns. Mobile phones and their usage are far more sophisticated, and the medium offers a dazzling array of engagement mechanics to inspire marketers and agencies alike. There's every reason to believe we're on the cusp of the most exciting phase of mobile's development, when creative minds explore the new dynamics of mobile.
As you leaf through these pages and consider who to contact, here are five pointers for ways in which mobile will develop in the months ahead to do things other channels can't.
Mobile advertising -- Using actual operator subscriber data for targeting and reporting to show the distinct advantages mobile data has over PC internet data;
Mobile vouchers -- Using simple unique redemption codes to drive footfall and sales for major high street and out-of-town retailers;
Mobile websites -- These proliferate as location finders, event agendas, product configurators, enquiry qualifiers, surveys, booking confirmations, competitions/quizzes and locations to engage click-to-call, content, coupon and ticket downloads and more;
QR codes and video shortcodes -- These show the first signs of how quick and easy it can be to engage people, on impulse, in rich mobile content from other media;
User-generated content -- Brands are capitalising on the phenomena of blogging and mass participation through mobile voting, stimulating the use of cameraphones for picture/video sending, and playing with applications like picture recognition.
In all these areas there are opportunities both for new creative and new understanding about your consumers, how to engage them, and the ROI mobile can deliver. Choose your partner well and the full potential of these mechanics, integrated into one mobile marketing solution with delivery and reporting through a single platform, will help you to make the step-change into the future that is mobile.