Mobile Fix: Creative thinking around mobile

Simon Andrews, founder of the full service mobile agency addictive!, on the creative thinking required for the next phase of mobile and internet-driven smartphone take-up…

Luma publish really interesting maps of the competitive landscape around different areas of digital – showing the key players and the huge complexity of digital. Their latest maps the mobile ecology.

Looking at this you see just how complex the mobile market is – and also that none of the companies mentioned are focused on creative thinking.

So we’re not that surprised that the dirty secret of the obsession with iphone apps has finally been exposed – most branded apps are dismal failures.

The next phase of mobile is focused around creative thinking – understanding how mobile can solve problems for people, whilst solving business problems for brands. Technology is an enabler rather than the key issue – and good old fashioned marketing thinking facilitates the business case for a strategic approach to mobile. So brands need people who are architects as well as builders. (sales pitch over – sorry). At the end of the mail we’ve pointed to some creative uses of mobile as inspiration.

Devices

Enders analyst Ben Evans has a good take on just how successful Apple is and suggests their advantage in tablets is probably unassailable. But in phones they will be a minority player – unless they produce a cheaper phone.

So this article by Ewan Macleod on the arguments for and against an iPhone nano is well worth reading. As is this article from The Wall Street Journal adding to the buzz about the Amazon Tablet being imminent – sometime in Q3?

Fascinating new data from Kantar shows that most of the UK growth in smartphones is coming from people trading up from feature phones. One very interesting fact is that the biggest factor in choosing a smartphone is being able to use the internet – with pictures, games and emails all outperforming apps. But 73% of Apple buyers say using apps is a key reason on their choice – versus 49% of all smartphone buyers.

It’s not all good news for Apple though; there are lots of rumours that they are having to cut the costs of their iAds to attract brands and their efforts to own the term appstore are being strongly resisted by people like Getjar.

People

Facebook continue their march into mobile with the launch of their new java app that we mentioned a while back. This app will work on 2500 devices across 20 international operators and is designed to build the Facebook audience whilst helping operators bring more customers onto data

And this a good read on the UK Facebook team and their challenges – good insight into where the business is right now.

Promotions

It seems Google does like QR codes and has bought an interesting business that uses them to enable discounts and promotions in stores.

And Foursquare, the major player in places, is busy signing deals with the big boys in promotions; Living Social, Gilt Groupe and AT&T are all now partners. Smart targeting for these deals sounds like smart thinking – as proven by the early successes of O2 More in the UK.

Inspiration

We thought we should share some good example of creativity around mobile;

This treasure hunt for RayBan uses QR codes and Augmented Reality

This hunt for a Mini in Stockholm uses apps and location in a really cool promotion

This old project from New York shows that a good idea can work with simple featurephones. This video helps explain the idea.

And this smart use of QR codes by Tesco in Korea is so good we’re mentioning it again.

And two examples that aren’t mobile, but demonstrate how technology is changing marketing;

This great use of YouTube by a beer brand demonstrates what TV is going to look like once it’s connected.

This use of Twitter and Google Maps shows how social can be used really effectively

And this great interactive infographic looks at the state of the internet – lots of stats delivered in a very cool way. It’s a great demonstration of how complex information can be made easy to comprehend.

Click here for your full Mobile Fix (complete with links to background articles).