We all know the pass-on promotional value of positive reviews. How many of us, for example, have bought a DVD because of the number of stars on the front of the cover – or picked up a book because it is endorsed by our favourite writer or columnist?

The same principle of PR amplification works well when it has a mobile mechanic attached to it. Digital agency Maxus Global UK and mobile specialist Millennial Media have a neat case study demonstrating this point that involves Maxus client Jeep.

Case study

In this example, Maxus Global hired Millennial to design a mobile campaign that would raise awareness around reviews of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. The way it did this was to create a landing page which displayed a review from Autotrader.com saying the Grand Cherokee was the “best car the company has ever built”.

Mobile users who were interested could then enter their postcode and view all nearby dealerships. If they then clicked on a particular location, they were taken to Google maps to find directions from their current position. In other words, says Maxus Global, “Mobile provided Jeep an opportunity to reach local, on-the-go consumers, and ensure that once they saw the ad, they could find the nearest dealership – even away from home”.

In terms of campaign results, Millennial says: “Engagement rates were three-times over industry standards and click-through rate increased as the campaign went on, showing effective optimisation”.

Mobile for all brands?

Perhaps at this point you’re thinking that mobile doesn’t work for every brand. But Millennial senior VP marketing Mack McKelvey believes many clients could replicate Jeep’s success: “There’s an enduring misperception that only a few select verticals are seeing success with mobile advertising,” she says in a recent blog. “Correcting that is a key item on the industry’s to do list”.

According to McKelvey, six industry verticals have increased their mobile ad spend by over 100% in the last year (with the finance vertical alone growing by more than 1000%). This, she says, “shows that mobile is not only beyond the experimental stage; it has become a key component of today’s media plan”.

The key is using it in the right way. Based on Millennial’s own findings, combined with work by organisations such as the IAB and comScore, she cites four key factors that all brands should consider when planning a campaign for their particular industry.

• Know where to find your consumers: Brands don’t have to advertise in their own vertical. For example, mobile consumers who view auto content are also heavy users in categories such as Tech News, Sports Info and Financial News & Stock Quotes. In the Finance vertical, 80% of mobile financial users own a smartphone, which is more than double the overall mobile population; and the mobile finance audience is 76% more likely to own a tablet or e-reader. “Brands which can understand how their target audience is using mobile can gain a leg up on the competition”.
• Know where mobile consumers are in the purchase funnel: Advertisers should think about where consumers are in the purchase funnel when they are potentially viewing the ad. In Millennial’s recent retail study, it found that 52% of consumers turn to mobile to help determine if a product is needed, while 29% turn to mobile to comparison shop. “For auto advertisers, brands may want to alter campaigns if they are reaching people not directly in the market for a car (i.e. instead of advertising a sale price, they can advertise their maintenance application)”.
• Find the targeting and campaign goals that work for your vertical: Reaching local consumers is a top priority for many mobile campaigns. (In a recent study) 43% of campaigns in the automotive industry chose to target by local market, as auto advertisers narrowed in on specific locations to drive consumers into dealerships and promote regional deals. In the retail industry, 29% of campaigns had the goal of increasing foot traffic, again showing the emphasis on local consumers. Millennial maintains that the mobile ‘triple play’ is location + relevancy + immediacy.
• Real world examples: For examples of how various verticals are using mobile in retail, auto, travel, entertainment look through Millennial’s library (www.millennialmedia.com). “Every industry vertical has found a way to integrate mobile. Now is the time to understand how your audience is using mobile, and reach your consumers where they are… before your competition does”.