Marketers head for mobile marketing, greater spending on mobile platforms

Survey findings showed that in 2010, 62% of marketers used some form of mobile marketing for their brands. An additional 26% reported their intention to begin doing so this year, elevating the expected 2011 utilisation rate to the near-universal 88% level.

Respondents cited two companies as being particularly successful with mobile marketing: Coca-Cola for its mobile advertising and Target for its integration of mobile web, rewards and wish list registry. However, most respondents are less enthusiastic about their own mobile initiatives. Only 25% rate their efforts as "extremely" or "very" successful, while the majority (53%) says their efforts have been only "somewhat" successful.

Those marketers claiming above average success rates have the following traits in common:

• Have been using the medium longer
  
• Tend to use more of mobile's individual platforms
  
• Integrate platforms with each other
  
• Measure mobile efforts with a wide array of metrics.

"Mobile is clearly a fast-growing platform for marketers, but it has yet to attain its full potential," said Bob Liodice, president and CEO, ANA. "With the anticipated increase in adoption this year, we expect to see fresh, innovative approaches, increased brand-building success, and better accountability for this exciting channel."

More than a dozen distinct interactive mobile platforms are currently being used by marketers, according to survey findings. The five with the highest adoption levels - at least by one-half of the firms surveyed -are the following:

• Mobile websites
  
• Mobile apps
  
• Mobile messaging/SMS
  
• Mobile display ads
  
• Mobile search

"The results of the ANA-MMA joint survey strongly indicate that we will continue to see increased adoption and spending this year across all mobile marketing platforms," said Greg Stuart, global CEO, MMA. "The MMA is committed to further establishing critical best practices and guidelines that create efficiencies and eliminate barriers for marketers to make mobile an indispensable part of their marketing mix."

In the survey, respondents noted several specific advantages of mobile marketing, including:

• Portable web access
  
• Ability to deliver content/promotions to on-the-go consumers
  
• Convenience for immediate consumer support/sales support/loyalty

Conversely, the research found numerous barriers to the adoption of mobile marketing by client-side marketers, including:

• Lack of metrics to properly allocate mobile marketing within the overall marketing mix
  
• Inability to prove ROI
  
• Lack of mobile marketing understanding by key people at the brand/company

To date, most companies - 71% - have assigned responsibility for mobile marketing to an existing internal group. Only 19% of respondents say their companies have created a new internal group to manage the mobile marketing function. In most cases this group reports to the digital marketing team.

This survey was conducted online during September-October, 2010. After determining the anticipated 2011 utilisation rate, the survey methodology identified 97 respondents - all client-side marketers largely from the ANA's membership - that specifically indicated their intent to use mobile marketing in 2011 and asked these marketers a battery of questions about their experience and observations with the medium.

About the ANA

Founded in 1910, the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) leads the marketing community by providing its members with insights, collaboration, and advocacy. ANA's membership includes 400 companies with 9000 brands that collectively spend over US$250 billion (about 1750 billion) in marketing communications and advertising. The ANA strives to communicate marketing best practices, lead industry initiatives, influence industry practices, manage industry affairs, and advance, promote, and protect all advertisers and marketers. For more information, go to www.ana.net, follow us on Twitter, join us on Facebook, or visit our YouTube channel.