Connecting the Dots / An Agency Blog

Mobile Apps, the current holy grail of digital marketing, have only just replaced Social Media as the big opportunity for marketers. Mobile is a crucial part of the marketing mix for both B2B and B2C brands, as many blogs and marketing industry publications will boldly agree. And while the App space provides huge opportunity, it’s important to understand the opportunity and enter the space with the right set of goals and objectives – not just a half baked, quick-to-market Mobile App strategy.

As was recently stated at the Luxury Interactive 2010 Conference in NY, “A mobile strategy does not just mean rolling out an App.” More effectively, the branded App should be part of a broader multi-channel experience, be that mobile, online, social, and offline tactics.

Dave Hamilton at Grip recently wrote about ‘brand butlers‘, a term coined by the folks at Trendwatching.com to describe the role mobile apps play in the brand-building space. He asks, are these “simply cool tactics or an emerging new approach to branding?”

I’ll be the first to agree, using technology, and more specifically mobile, to reach the consumer poses a pretty clear opportunity. And brands like those mentioned in Dave’s post; MasterCard, Dominos, IKEA, and others, are doing it fairly well; though it sure would be nice to understand the reach and impact of these efforts. As it’s still early days, the results tied to branded Mobile Apps are still few and far between. And with most Mobile Apps focused squarely on the iPhone user, the reach is clearly not what it could, or should be. But times are changing. Android is catching up, and soon we’ll see the fragmentation of the mobile space become a reality that marketers will need to deal with. Good times ahead!

What i can say with conviction is, as soon as a brand can deliver utility that relates to their offering, they’ve created useful advertising that goes beyond a clever punch line. So, while the concept of ‘brand butler’ is an interesting one, I think the overall idea of branded utility needs to go beyond the mobile space and be a core value of the organization in order to feel truly supported by the brand.

SO, WHY IS BRANDED UTILITY IMPORTANT NOW?
There’s two big shifts taking place (both technology related); first, in order to be(come) relevant, brands now need to connect with consumers on a one-to-one level as a result of both the social web and the expectation for some level of transparency in corporate social responsibility; second, consumers are hyper connected through mobile.

SO, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR MARKETERS?
First, your consumer wants your brand to play a useful role in their day-to-day life. If you make shoes, tell them where the best running trails and routes are. If you’re an entertainment brand, give your consumers exclusive content, or let them become the creator through a suite of tools. If you’re a retailer, help them find your location, and give them timely promotions – if they’re mobile, you’ll know they’re in your store so make use of this incredibly useful information and reward them for choosing you and not your competitor! For brands, the competition is now both offline and online, and price checking by mobile consumers could become an even scarier reality than it already is.

Second, your consumer wants you to be a responsible brand, contributing to the local and global community. Make your product or service amazing and it will attract the consumer. Make your relationship with the consumer effortless and rewarding and you’ll keep them for a long, long time. The brands that resonate over time will be those integrated with the community, committed to a social good, providing more value to the consumer than simply their core offering.

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