Fmcg brands need to take a lead from the retailers’ use of mobile marketing – and then do it better, says Dave Buckingham
With 36% of the UK population now owning a smartphone, it's a good time for fmcg marketers to be thinking about the role mobile can play at brand level.
In recent weeks, restaurant and retail brands have been ramping up mobile marketing activity following the launch of successful mobile coupon campaigns from House of Fraser and Starbucks.
Recent research from the BRC, Google and Online Retail Monitor revealed that retail-related internet searches from mobile phones has grown by 181% in the past year. These searches accounted for 11% of all online shopping searches.
The question for brands to consider is whether they can run their own promotions and target their own consumers. Can you reach those who prefer your brand to the one displayed next to it in-store? What can you do to place your brand directly into the hands of consumers who are most likely to engage?
Think about yourself as a consumer and your own mobile phone usage. Do you write your shopping list in the notes section of your phone and refer to it in-store? Now, consider an easy-to-use app incorporating your favourite brands, containing a selection of offers, based on your preferences, ready to use, in your pocket.
This vision shouldn't be a distant dream for fmcgs, and mobile apps certainly shouldn't be seen simply as marketing tools for retailers. Consumers will increasingly look for a consistent multi-channel experience from the brands they love.
Through their smartphones, shoppers can select the level of engagement they want with a brand and choose offers relevant to them. So brands can now be confident that their offers are ending up in the hands of the shoppers they most want to talk to.
Both Google and Apple are producing mobile handsets with Near Field Communication technology, allowing shoppers to make payments with their mobiles. The 'digital wallet' is an imminent reality and it presents an opportunity for fmcgs to interact with consumers more than ever before.
At LMG we have been working with a number of household brands such as Guinness, Heinz and Ben & Jerry's, using the Sainsbury's and Nectar apps we developed. Our clients have used the tool to not only lower costs for example by cutting out physical collateral such as mailings and postage but also to open up a dialogue with shoppers.
We've seen positive results from the fmcgs that are choosing this level of engagement with a high conversion rate to transactions and a solid sales uplift.
Added to this are the reputational benefits of 'mobilising' your brand. Shoppers increasingly expect to see their favourite consumer brands in the digital space and they expect to be rewarded for their loyalty and interaction. It's natural to expect that the relationship we have with a brand online and in-store should be available through our mobiles.
Some brands, such as Heinz and its 'I love Heinz Ketchup' online community, have made an impact online but there is still headway to be made in the mobile space. It is still early days and the landscape will continue to change location-based offers will soon be upon us. Those fmcgs who choose to embrace this will reap commercial rewards.
Dave Buckingham is UK general manager at LMG
With 36% of the UK population now owning a smartphone, it's a good time for fmcg marketers to be thinking about the role mobile can play at brand level.
In recent weeks, restaurant and retail brands have been ramping up mobile marketing activity following the launch of successful mobile coupon campaigns from House of Fraser and Starbucks.
Recent research from the BRC, Google and Online Retail Monitor revealed that retail-related internet searches from mobile phones has grown by 181% in the past year. These searches accounted for 11% of all online shopping searches.
The question for brands to consider is whether they can run their own promotions and target their own consumers. Can you reach those who prefer your brand to the one displayed next to it in-store? What can you do to place your brand directly into the hands of consumers who are most likely to engage?
Think about yourself as a consumer and your own mobile phone usage. Do you write your shopping list in the notes section of your phone and refer to it in-store? Now, consider an easy-to-use app incorporating your favourite brands, containing a selection of offers, based on your preferences, ready to use, in your pocket.
This vision shouldn't be a distant dream for fmcgs, and mobile apps certainly shouldn't be seen simply as marketing tools for retailers. Consumers will increasingly look for a consistent multi-channel experience from the brands they love.
Through their smartphones, shoppers can select the level of engagement they want with a brand and choose offers relevant to them. So brands can now be confident that their offers are ending up in the hands of the shoppers they most want to talk to.
Both Google and Apple are producing mobile handsets with Near Field Communication technology, allowing shoppers to make payments with their mobiles. The 'digital wallet' is an imminent reality and it presents an opportunity for fmcgs to interact with consumers more than ever before.
At LMG we have been working with a number of household brands such as Guinness, Heinz and Ben & Jerry's, using the Sainsbury's and Nectar apps we developed. Our clients have used the tool to not only lower costs for example by cutting out physical collateral such as mailings and postage but also to open up a dialogue with shoppers.
We've seen positive results from the fmcgs that are choosing this level of engagement with a high conversion rate to transactions and a solid sales uplift.
Added to this are the reputational benefits of 'mobilising' your brand. Shoppers increasingly expect to see their favourite consumer brands in the digital space and they expect to be rewarded for their loyalty and interaction. It's natural to expect that the relationship we have with a brand online and in-store should be available through our mobiles.
Some brands, such as Heinz and its 'I love Heinz Ketchup' online community, have made an impact online but there is still headway to be made in the mobile space. It is still early days and the landscape will continue to change location-based offers will soon be upon us. Those fmcgs who choose to embrace this will reap commercial rewards.
Dave Buckingham is UK general manager at LMG
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