More marketers connect with consumers through mobile apps
CANNES, France -- Marketers of everything from beer to couture are dialing up mobile-device applications for their brands.
Apps are fast becoming part of today's marketing mix because they can connect brands and products directly to consumers. That's also made them one of the hottest topics here this week at the ad industry's biggest annual awards competition, the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.
"A branded iPhone application grants a fantastic consumer engagement," says Alexandre Mars, CEO at Phonevalley, a mobile-ad agency that has created apps for Kraft and Chanel. "They are rich, compelling and insightful. They provide a quick response time, and they are available without any data connection."
Among other brands using apps to connect with consumers: Audi, Pacifico Beer, Hardee's, movie studios, Sherwin-Williams, Target, Burger King and Zippo, as well as USA TODAY. Some branded apps offer games or information, while some provide utility, such as paint-color selection with ColorSnap for Sherwin-Williams. And some are just cool.
Audi, one of the first brands to launch an app last year, has had more than 3.5 million downloads of its Audi A4 Driving Challenge game. It recently introduced two more apps, including a 90-minute high-definition documentary.
"Our consumer is very tech savvy," says Jeri Ward, general manager of marketing and strategy. "This is a way to connect on their terms and the way they use technology."
Mexican beer brand Pacifico, with its image as a beer for people more interested in the adventurous side of Mexico than the beach, recently introduced a rooster alarm clock app that crows. It features Claudio the rooster, Pacifico's longtime mascot. When the alarm goes off, you can shake the iPhone to turn it off and rustle Claudio's feathers.
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