Mobile marketing turns green - The Green SMS
The world as we know it is in complete turmoil about the truths of global warming, climate change and possibilities of a life different to that which we know. With Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" and the media feeding us information about the dilemma that humans find themselves in, a simple conclusion must be reached - GO GREEN. As a result, people have started asking the same question: "In this new world in which I live, what am I doing to make a difference?"
"Extra, extra; read all about it" is a quote that is familiar to all of us. Newspapers have been the information gateways for decades. Today, newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, billboards and so many others have snowballed into a state where even a magazine could be solely dedicated to almost any one subject fathomable. Again, the question is asked: how does a magazine with such a small market stay afloat? The answer: advertising.
Advertising on billboards, in newspapers and magazines is an everyday occurrence, but what are the effects of this on the environment? First and foremost, paper is up for interrogation; the rainforests that are destroyed every year are an easy argument, causing a detrimental fluctuation in CO2 absorption. The pollution from logging, manufacturing and transporting of paper, however, is something that is often overlooked. With this being said, and having the knowledge about the truths of global warming and the devastation of our world, it seems strange how we as humans are still feeding the cycle.
Mobile media has been a turn for the better, with the daily news being displayed on a device that an individual already owns. Users gain information without having to spend additional money, which would ultimately make its way back into the paper industries' bank accounts. The rise of mobile media meant that, with 5.9 billion mobile phone subscribers, which equates to 87% of the population, mobile users were able to access the required information on their devices.
South Africa today shows a mobile world with information at one's fingertips. Media24, Bizcommunity, Twitter and so many others are playing their part in turning the world to mobile. The world is in desperate need of mankind making an effort to go green. Mobile media and marketing has achieved this by becoming the core source of information to the average mobile owner. The paper industry, however, continues to stay in production.
Businesses like SMSPortal have taken the next step in going green. They have identified a trend through advertising and mobile marketing. With the majority of the world's population owning a mobile phone and all business institutions identifying the need for advertising, it seems almost mandatory to turn to mobile marketing, as if it was our worldly duty to go mobile, and in the process, go green. Research has shown that SMSes have a 99% read rate, which beats any other form of marketing hands-down.
SMSPortal, South Africa's leader in bulk SMS, has come up with the term "Green SMS". It has recognised the need for mobile marketing, but in turn also acknowledged its positive effect on the environment. The "Green SMS" has become a way of reaching anyone, anywhere with the intended brand information while also doing its bit in making the world a better place for generations to come.
The world is ever changing, but the destruction of its natural beauty continues. The thought of going back to a time when our effects on nature were minimal is impractical, but with minor adjustments to the way we live and advertise, what remains can be preserved. The effects of mobile media are minute compared to that of print media, and with SMS marketing playing such an influential role in the way information is received, it seems almost too easy to play our part in combating climate change.
