The Subliminal Play of Mobile Marketing

In a study ‘Mobile Marketing Economic Impact Study’ Commissioned by the Mobile Marketing Association’ it is observed that in 2012, USD 6.7 billion was spent on Mobile Marketing by client side marketers and retailers across industries in the US. This is likely to reach almost USD 20 million by 2015^(1). For an industry which is still in its nascent stage, this growth is phenomenal.

The consumer side uptake for Mobile Apps has been astounding too. In July 2014, Google Play had a total of 1.3 million apps and the Apple App Store had nearly 1.2 million apps. Most significantly, the Appstore by Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer had over 240,000 apps available ⁽²⁾.  

Creating mobile moments for their customers is definitely the new fad for marketers. One look at the television adverts by leading retailers including Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal reveals that each retailer has one common theme. The ads urge consumers to download the Mobile app and interact with the retailers services through the app.

There is merit behind the concept. Amazon, Flipkart, SnapDeal and other similar retailers have realized the subliminal power mobile phones and the apps residing in them have. Apps are the most powerful tools available today to create ‘Brand Resonance’ ⁽³⁾. They are instrumental in driving the customer mind share for a brand. Most importantly, besides communicating the brand value, mobile phones provide the opportunity to procure goods or services in real time.

It is a proven fact that mobile customers are more likely to be ready to take action.

Mobile apps are an excellent way to create recall for a brand. Apps are built around a solution to a problem or a specific procurement need. So individuals using a specific app are more likely to pass it on to help their friends and family.

The allure of relying on mobile apps germinates from the fact that these apps like a mobile device are always present, always on and always connected. Smart telephony has played a major role here, creating opportunities for unrivaled, ubiquitous one to one, personalized communication.

The interesting thing to consider here is that for consumers all this is absolutely subliminal. Smartphones have become tool-kits to solve everyday problems. The nexus between Smart Phones and apps these days is seamless. Leading retailers are tying up with smartphone providers to inculcate pre-built apps in their devices.  Need to buy a dress, just open the Amazon app and order. Need to remember to drink water; there is an App that will remind you. Someone posted on a social media site how a training app from Adidas was helping them slim down.

In each of these cases, the association with the parent brand is ingrained in the consumer’s head without even a conscious effort. This has a remarkable impact on the consumer preference and engagement!

1.  Mobile Marketing Economic Impact Study; Peter A. Johnson (PhD) and Joseph Plummer (PhD)
2. http://www.statista.com/statistics/276623/number-of-apps-available-in-leading-app-stores/  
3. Brand Equity Model by Kevin Lane Keller