Last week I attended the Mobile Marketing Summit – Kenya. It was an interesting session where conversation revolved around the dire need of educating the clients / brands and decision makers in the country to exploit the potential of mobile advertising.
Here are some of the key take-away messages from the session.
NOT MOBILE STRATEGY BUT STRATEGY FOR YOUR MOBILE AUDIENCE
All the attendants gathered at the session understood and even believed that Mobile is big in Kenya. However, considering the low number of smart or even SMARTER phones in the country, what exactly can the communication do. An interesting point made was is the audience happy with the experience he has on the mobile?
And this took me back to the point I keep making for digital communication. We often are too focussed on the technology bit of it, rather the message and user experience and thus lead to ‘great idea but what does it do?’ scenario.
So step back, think what you want to tell your audience or make them do and then simplify the technology such that it can reach the maximum audience out there. SMS, for all its non-glam and often less talked about powers is yet very powerful and can be powerful if you put some thought behind it.
DIGITAL PR – NEW CHALLENGES
It was nice to see this issue being discussed, since I have been able to identify the changing trend in how our PR team is often challenged by the journalists based on the data which is available online. Whether this is a twitter hashtag on a subject creating buzz or even a blogger venting his product experience.
So if you think getting your Marketing & Customer Service teams online is enough, think AGAIN. Your PR team may have to get online to help you manage the BRAND REPUTATION.
RE-WRITE THE BRIEF
Most brief templates are yet written with traditional media as the main channel and a sign-off that says “Digital Ideas would also help”.
An important point; considering most communication managers are yet struggling to understand the potential of digital. And expecting them to give a brief which gets the digital team excited is not fair.
So get aggressive, dive in and change the brief if you think digital can take it to the next level or even add more value.
And is an interesting tweet I spotted over the weekend:
CREATING THE ECO-SYSTEM
Communication agencies, Digital agencies, Government, Google / Facebook / Inmobi – who is responsible for creating an eco-system which is conducive and can give a boost to digital channel communication.
Not the work of a single entity. Needs a joint effort. Needs partnerships. And above all needs lots of education both on client side and developers to be able to deliver effective solutions.
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At the end of it, I am back in the office with interesting case studies to share with the team & clients. Also some contacts who I wish to engage with and explore some ideas.
Kapil's Korner 