Category: Mobile Marketing

Mobile marketing real time pilot launched by Hudson’s Bay

| August 1, 2014

The iconic Canadian department store retailer is testing out a new way to reach its customers via smartphone.

Hudson’s Bay Company is now testing out a new mobile marketing program that is designed to give shoppers who are in the retail store locations to be able to receive messages in real time in order to enhance their overall shopping experience.

The retailer has announced that it is working with Swirl in implementing the technology for this program.

The company will be using geolocation technology at its five largest By and Lord & Taylor store locations in the United States and Canada in order to use this new mobile marketing program. This location based advertising technique will send consumers smartphone alerts when they walk into the participating stores. The use of this tech is a tremendous leap forward for Hudson’s Bay, which has had a noticeably lacking strategy in terms of general e-commerce.

Swirl uses beacons for its mobile marketing technology, to transmit popup messages via smartphones.

The beacons communicate with the smartphones by way of Bluetooth, detecting that the phone has entered into a certain location and then sending out the appropriate location based marketing message or alert.Mobile Marketing - The Bay retail store

For instance, a customer in the store who was close to the display for purses may receive a message to inform them about the Michael Kors products that have just been added to the shelves. At the brand’s flagship store in Toronto, Canada, the entire home wares floor has been completely remodeled and shoppers entering the building are encouraged to check it out.

Beacons may also be able to identify people who have never entered the store, offering them a complementary cup of coffee to enhance their overall experience and encourage them to return for another visit.

According to the executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Hudson’s Bay Company, who spoke about this geolocation technology based mobile marketing pilot, “The amount of mobile usage that our customers are engaging in has grown dramatically.” He also added that “As a retailer, if you’re not thinking about the impacts of mobile on your retail marketing, you’re really missing the boat. We saw this trend, we’ve watched the data, and we’ve been looking for ways that we can enhance the store experience through mobile.”

Mobile marketing is growing quickly in India

| July 30, 2014

Despite that fact, the share of the overall advertising market within the country remains quite small.

Online and mobile marketing in India is taking off at a rapid rate – regardless of the fact that it had a low point from which to start – and this is proving to be quite promising to those who are focused on advertising within the country.

This is also a promising development for companies that rely on online ad revenue for their existence.

According to the national trading head of digital media at the WPP media buying agency, GroupM, whose name is Praseed Prasad, who spoke of mobile marketing in the country, “Mobile advertising in India is the fastest growing among all verticals in the digital advertising space. This is primarily because consumers are spending more time on mobile Internet activities as compared to desktops, subsequently growth in desktop Internet is fast getting saturated.”

The Internet Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) recorded a 29 percent growth in the year that ended on March 31.

mobile marketing growth - IndiaThat said, as much as the advertising channel is looking highly promising and is growing at a considerable rate, it continues to represent only a small fraction of the total market. It has been estimated that it makes up only about 10 percent of the total ad spending. But its rise is on the way. From 2012 to 2013, there was more than a doubling in the spending on mobile ads.

The IAMAI associate vice president, Nilotpal Chakravarti, was quoted to say that “It is one of the fastest growing channels along with social media. Every brand is looking to have its presence on the mobile platform either through apps or through their mobile site.”

As the mobile marketing channel progresses along its growth in India, it continues to have a small base. Moreover, it is also falling behind the growth that is being experienced in internet and data consumption over smartphones and tablets in the country.

While this may be interpreted as a failing within the mobile marketing industry, to a certain degree, by some, others are viewing this as a tremendous opportunity. They feel that it is clear that the channel is set to skyrocket and they are making sure to stake their claims within the space before it becomes crowded.