Talking To Mobisumers - some thoughts

I have to speak at the afaqs Mobile Conversations seminar on Friday in Mumbai.

Actually, it's quite telling how the average analog ad agency in Mumbai/ India thinks so little about/around the mobile. And even when we do, we don't really factor in the mobile consumer( a whopping 280mn of us). Most of the time we trim our TV ideas to fit the small screen and 140 characters.

Just putting some WIP thoughts for my talk. Would look forward to any comments/ thoughts, suggestions, case studies, etc. Anything?
I think as an advertiser/ marketer communicating through/ to the mobile must be sensitive to the following:

1. Snackable - All mobile content must be snackable. We are limited by the constraints of 140 characters, a very small screen, a partially attentive consumer and intrusion into her personal space!

2. Shareable - Unlike TV communication/ marketing content on the mobile is shareable...Therefore, mobile creative content must capitalise on this.

3. Low Fat - We must not overload the information content in our marketing messages. Keep it low fat!! Send me stuff in two sms. Just tell me one fact at a time.

4. Personal - The mobile is a personal, often a private medium/ screen. So, beyond a point our TV intrusion tactics will not work/ backfire for brands. It's a one-to-one conversation that we need to have...Don't call me on a Sunday after-noon to sell some God damn credit card even if it's platinum!!

5.Informal - Brand communication on the mobile can/ ought to have an informal tone/ content. Can we have a Friday Dressing code for mobile marketing:-)

6. Anytime - There is no fixed time for the mobile marketing message. We don't have to wait for prime time or cricket matches or saas bahu soaps to start the conversation. And with the extended and 24X7 reach, it puts an added responsibility on marketing...

7. Talk Value - Because the medium is highly shareable, brands can generate a lot of Talk Value if they craft the content right and seed it properly. Consumers can generate a ripple effect of INFLUENCE for our brands...

8. Generation Less - Especially in the Indian context, where the mobile is often shared within the family, we must be sensitive that marketing communication might have to have an across the generation appeal...

That's all for the moment...Do write to me post Friday and will mail the presentation...

Mobile Talk 1 : Rajesh Jain

Read a decent interview of Rajesh Jain, the man who almost single handedly brought on the dotcom boom to India after selling off his Internet venture, IndiaWorld.com, to Satyam for Rs 499 crore in 1999, on agencyfaqs.com!

Nuggets from the same...

1. Other than email, classifieds, trading and ticketing, not much has happened there. What I think of as the N3 web – Now, New, Near Web – hasn’t really happened. Part of the problem is that access is mainly from cyber cafes, so the Internet has not become a part of people’s lives.

2. There are two aspects to the Internet – the PC and the mobile. PC-based access is very much around the 'reference web'.

The mobile has the opportunity to be the primary mode of access and interaction for the 'incremental web'.

So, I can use the mobile to find directions and similar day to day activities. There are life's 'empty moments' and life's ‘know now’ moments. When you are waiting for someone, for example, you are in an empty moment and you can use your mobile to check stock quotes or text someone. In the ‘know now’ moments, you want to know something immediately instead of going and searching on the web. Now, if you can overlay mobile services with permission, you can give consumers only the information they want.

3. I think in the next few years, when you mention the Internet, it will primarily mean the mobile Internet.

4. Just like on the Internet, the search box has become the starting point for user interaction and monetisation of the web, my belief is that on the mobile phone, it’s going to be the SMS subscription with a brand of your choice.

So, if there’s a special promotion at the mall in the neighbourhood, you want to know. It's called 'invertising' – advertising that consumers invite into their lives. This is a marketer’s dream (come true). For example, if you buy a new Nokia phone, you can get free updates from them about the features of the phone and about upgrading to a new model

5. Why not enough innovations in the mobile industry? Because something has worked very well in the industry... because ringtones, wallpapers, Bollywood, cricket, etc., have become a Rs 4,000 crore industry, where users are spending on consuming this content, we are not looking beyond.

6. SMS subscription is the best way to provide bite-sized content.

7. As we think of roads, airports and power, we need to start thinking of the digital environment as core infrastructure for this country. I think there is no reason why we cannot have state of the art innovation in services here in India. That's going to spur entrepreneurship and will create the next set of large companies in India. Once we make that happen, it’s better for advertisers, marketers and businesses.

Vodaphone Throws a Bouncer

On the back of a strategically sound ad campaign for the Hutch name change comes this unlikely bouncer from Ogilvy! Maybe there is more to follow, but the first burst leaves me cold...

1. Beats me. What does Vodaphone mean by make the most of now?? The consumer hardly knows the brand. Why should he/she listen to this rather patronizing tone...

2. Suddenly the warmth and the simplicity of Hutch is gone! Kaput! This is not the continuation of the 'brand switch-over'? And if Vodaphone had to do such a dramatically different campaign, why did it blow up crores of rupees on the 'pug campaign' till last week??

Maybe, I am suffering from 'premature enunciation', but this doesn't make sense as of now...