Let's Try to Avoid Causing a Mobile-Marketing Revolt

Our Disruptive Nature Is in Danger of Killing Off Our Most Promising Opportunities

Posted by Freddie Laker on 10.07.09 @ 02:18 PM

Freddie Laker

Consider the lessons from social media. One of the factors that caused so many marketers to fail in this space is they forgot basic web etiquette and lost sight that all successful marketing (on the modern web) is some form of value exchange. Consumers must be approached in a way that is not disruptive or disrespectful of their time. Social media was never free -- the buzz created around your brand or people's willingness to come together as a community was earned. They would tolerate a certain amount of advertising if it was a reasonable value exchange.

Mobile, the ever-present digital touch point, is for many of us not only an essential daily tool, but also a place of great privacy and perceived intimacy. We're far more sensitive about the "value exchange" in the mobile world. In addition we don't click ads as often because, in my opinion, we're frequently trying to get quick digital or social experiences on the mobile device in between other events. We have frequent interaction with our mobile devices, but the sessions might be shorter.

Sometimes I like to talk about the "paradox of marketing." As marketers we feel obligated to get our clients/brands where the eyeballs are. We then descend on that thing like vultures and in most cases we destroy that thing we originally loved and saw as an opportunity to reach consumers. (Think George from "Of Mice and Men" with the rabbit.) We're currently in the process of killing Twitter as well.

The next great mobile revolution will be focused on the culmination of social networks, geo-location services, content creation/sharing, augmented reality and the functions that come with rapidly increased bandwidth, such as live streaming video. My fear is that marketers will be irresponsible and will use these technologies to pound consumers with horrible interruptive ads that make consumers revolt against mobile marketing. We've already had epic failures with some marketers' mass SMS broadcasting and then the totally idiotic idea of connecting to discoverable Bluetooth phones when they're in proximity of a broadcast point.

There's so much new technology that has the potential to redefine interaction between brands and consumers, but unfortunately too many of us are still using advertising techniques that we've used for the last century -- and they are primarily disruptive in nature.

The "techies" have done a great job of continuing to innovate and evolve the medium. Now it's time for marketers to show the same passion for innovation and evolve with the medium, rethink our approaches and be respectful of the most intimate of digital touch points. We're marching into holy ground with mobile marketing and if we're not careful a select few of us will ruin it for the rest of us and this time, I don't think consumers will be as forgiving.

4 Comments

  By gunther | Los Angeles, CA October 7, 2009 06:58:00 pm:

Freddie -- I couldn't agree more. And as Nick Law said in his post a week or so ago, instead of asking how to break through (i.e. disrupt), marketers should be asking how they can fit in.

Value exchanges are absolutely key, and the interchangeability of networks of all types will facilitate this steady shift. I also think that we should look at mobile as much more than a platform.

Forget 3-screen thinking for now (and perhaps forever), there's this thing called 'content connectivity'. Set-top boxes aren't just boxes, just like PDAs aren't just devices – they're assistants. Geotilities and purchasing apps like Red Laser are guiding us in ways that not only call retailers out on their bluffs, but are showing us that consumers have ultimate power in making the decision to purchase, as well as how to purchase, and where they can relay or port that influential information, in real-time, to their peers.

Excellent post.

Best,

Gunther Sonnenfeld
@goonth

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  By justinkeller | Carmel, IN October 8, 2009 03:02:11 pm:

Love it. Great insight, Freddie. Over at ChaCha we're working on giving more marketing power to the consumer- letting them determine what they want with the understanding that we're ad-supported. Mobile has such vast potential we can't squander it or have marketers stunt its growth.

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  By mobiThinking | London October 12, 2009 04:21:50 am:

If mobile marketers generally think pull rather than push then they shouldn't run into too many difficulties. Providing the right information on a mobile website, with useful value adds like SMS alerts, downloads, vouchers etc; billboards with opt-in to interact via Bluetooth (i.e. for free), all leave control in the hands of the consumer. There are plenty of great tips and all the latest facts and stats in this guide to mobile marketing in the US from Laura Marriott (former president/CEO Mobile Marketing Association): http://www.mobithinking.com/laura-marriott-guide-mobile-web-us

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  By craigcooper | craigcooper.com, NY October 14, 2009 12:43:18 am:

This shouldn't be an article. It should be a law.

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