Category: Mobile Commerce

Data shows UK Android users are enchanted by mobile commerce apps

There was a time when mobile games and other entertainment applications were exceedingly popular among Android users. New data from Nielsen, a leading information and analysis firm, shows that this is no longer the case, at least in the United Kingdom. According to Nielsen, mobile commerce and banking applications are now the most popular apps with Android users. Seven of the top 15 major applications in the UK market have to do with mobile commerce in some way, with some of the most used apps coming from Tesco, Amazon, and Quidco.

Consumers show strong interest in shopping from their smart phones and tablets

Mobile commerce has grown to become a very powerful force in the mobile space. Consumers all over the world have been showing interest in using their mobile devices to purchase products of all kinds. Mobile commerce is especially popular in retail, where companies like Tesco have been working to engage mobile consumers for years. According to Nielsen, Tesco’s application saw more than a 145% spike in new users between May and October of 2012. Those using the application spent 45% more time engaged with the retailer during the same period.

Banks and telecoms account for many popular applications

Many of the mobile commerce applications that have become popular with UK consumers come from the country’s banks and telecommunications companies. Banking applications have been included in Nielsen’s data because mobile commerce does not exclusively refer to the practice of purchase a product using a smart phone or tablet. Rather, mobile commerce is any form of commerce conducted through the use of a mobile device, banking and shopping included.

Mobile games win in consumer engagement

Despite mobile commerce applications becoming so popular among Android users, many consumers are still showing strong interest in mobile games. Nielsen’s data shows that mobile games accounted for the most time spent on smart phones and tablets among consumers. While these applications may have been beaten out by mobile commerce in terms of growth, they are still soaking up the majority of a consumer’s time through engagement.

Spreading the word over smartphones is becoming a required form of promotion for films.

One of the new required elements of the release of a new blockbuster film has now become a mobile marketing strategy, which must be established before the film actually opens in theaters.

This can involve any number of smartphone friendly elements, from a site to engaging apps.

The latest example of this new movie release requirement is the mobile marketing effort that was put together by Fox Digital Entertainment, in partnership with WPP Digital company POSSIBLE. They worked together to bring fans a DIE HARD smartphone and tablet game that has debuted in time for the film.

This mobile marketing game availability is designed both for Android and iOS based devices.

The new game is based on “A Good Day To Die Hard”, the feature film that is the latest in the Die Hard series and that is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The film stars Bruce Willis and Jai Courtney, but the game brings together both first person shooter and endless runner style genres. It has, in essence, created an entirely new format of game, which is being labeled the “endless shooter”.

The app is retailing for a competitive game price on Amazon’s marketplace as well as on iOS, at $0.99. However, the Android version is available for free at Google Play. This makes it not only a unique game that will draw attention – likely both in its free and paid forms – due to its unique nature, but will also help to provide effective mobile marketing promotion for the film to which it is associated.

According to the POSSIBLE managing director, Los Angeles, Andrew Solmssen, “The DIE HARD franchise is one of the most recognizable entertainment properties in the world and we are honored to bring the latest installment to life in the form of the new DIE HARD app.” He went on to add that “Our number one mandate in developing the app was to create an awesome standalone gaming experience.”

As a growing number of blockbuster films release apps and mobile marketing elements to their overall advertising strategies, it is becoming increasingly clear that smartphones and tablets are indispensable in the promotions efforts of these movies.