NewsLine Column: Is Mobile The First Direct Mass Media?

The mobile phone will never replace mass marketing vehicles such as TV, radio or national press, but Dan Rosen, commercial director at 12Snap, explains how SMS advertising is becoming an increasingly important part of the marketing mix.

The newspaper – a pillar of British society – is consumed by tens of millions of Britons everyday. We even have a higher consumption of newspapers than anywhere else in Europe. For advertisers it provides 7 columns by 42 inches of mono or colour glory reinforced by a well established and enviable distribution system of newsstand, CTNs, supermarkets, Freestands, or now even on the web.

So why would I agree to write 500 words pitting a brand new medium such as SMS against a media stalwart that will inevitably still be receiving a sizeable slice of advertisers’ purses in the foreseeable future?

Well, the mobile phone cannot and will not ever replace mass marketing vehicles such as TV, radio or national press. However, it can both complement and compete with regional publications when brands are looking for a targeted campaign within a specific catchment area. That is why at 12Snap we refer to the mobile as the first “direct mass media”.

When Starcom Motive, one of the more forward thinking and innovative media agencies, was planning its yearly regional push on behalf of premium beer brand, Stella Artois, for its “Stella Screen on Location” tour, it was quick to pick up on the new opportunities in media. Targeting over 450,000 consumers by lifestyle, age, gender and postcode profile from 12Snap’s mobile database of opted-in customers around the relevant catchment areas of London, Bristol, Brighton and Newquay.

But how can a meagre 160 black and white characters compete with a good old double page spread?, I hear you ask.

For Stella Artois creative quality and targeting are key. Utilising 12Snap’s new Mobile Card™ technology, the company was able to provide consumers with a refreshing, innovative and high-impact “audio experience” outside of simply sending them a text message. Consumers requesting an exclusive invite would actually receive an audio experience on their mobile phone including movie soundtracks and celebrity voiceovers that they could forward on to their friends.

In summary, SMS is not a replacement for regional press or any traditional media for that matter. It is a complementary media that can add cut-through for brands that like to target a specific consumer with a new and innovative medium. So don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom for regional press. Some forward thinking media owners with regional assets have prepared for the future. Metro, for example, a national newspaper offering reach to specific urban centres, has created a text club for its readers which as well as adding value to readers will also add value to advertisers looking to increase their cut through within a specific target market.

If you would like to respond or make further comment on this or any other NewsLine article, please email [email protected]

Subscribers can access previous articles by NewsLine columnists in the Columnist Archive – click button on left.