I was recently asked by Mobile Marketer to provide commentary about Maytag and Mondelez leveraging mobile to create a tighter connection to direct sales by branded manufacturers.
(Mobile Marketer) To what extent has mobile accelerated companies’ strategies, such as these Maytag and Mondelez moves, to embrace direct sales, going against history as branded manufacturers who typically do not sell to consumers?
(Tom) For many consumers mobile is the first screen. Maytag is mapping utility through visualizing the MayTag experience in the home. This non-app based experience provides a seamless way to aspirational to practical.
Traditionally social owned, earned and paid strategies were focused at the top of the funnel, primarily driving awareness and occasionally intent. With the shift away from organic reach for brands by many of the larger publishers, it has essentially created more opportunity for direct response tactics that may lead to conversion.
Combined with targeting and mobile centric inventory, Mondelez is looking to create a more direct call to action and create value for their retail partners.
(Mobile Marketer) What challenges might these moves bring?
Driving awareness and clearly articulating the consumer value proposition should always be a key consideration when introducing new mobile centric tools that are designed to add value. Having a simple user experience that also maps to a clear call to action is key.
One point to consider is how receptive consumers will be to predetermining occasion based consumables such as a snack which can be a more spontaneous purchase. I assume these programs are test and learn to prove the viability of the approach.
(Mobile Marketer) What are the opportunities?
(Tom Edwards) For Mondelez, the opportunity is to create more value for the consumer and their retail partners, by focusing on a definitive “buy now” call to action, they may increase their probability of conversion.
For Maytag, understanding the amount of research time that goes into a major appliance purchase combined with creating relevance for the consumer opens up additional possibilities to create intent towards their offering.
(Mobile Marketer) What are the implications for mobile marketers?
(Tom Edwards) The key takeaway for marketers is to align mobile strategy with the objectives of the business. For Mondelez it is focusing on conversion and mapping a stronger call to action to their social strategies that pull through to retail. For Maytag, it is about creating intent through visualization and utility through a frictionless consumer experience.
Follow Tom Edwards @BlackFin360
