AT&T has just launched a new mobile marketing campaign that has caused some controversy among users.  The campaign is known as the “It Can Wait” campaign, which promotes not texting while driving.  According to Mobile Marketer, users take a pledge to not text and drive in order to keep the roads safe.  Currently over 5 million users have taken the pledge.  To become part of the campaign, all users have to do is send a simple text that says “#X” to friends and family, which lets them know the user is about to drive so they will not be reachable. AT&T launched the campaign with a catchy YouTube video that encouraged users to become part of the campaign by pledging not to text and drive. The video even shows mobile users how to change their settings so the message can be sent with the click of a button.  This campaign also promotes AT&T’s DriveMode and SafelyGo apps for Android devices that also encourage safe driving.  The controversy with this campaign is that some see it as promoting more mobile device usage whether it is on or off the road.  We live in a world where mobile technology is a part of consumers’ everyday lives, and mobile technology usage is just going to increase.  Promoting mobile technology usage is going to happen, but with applications and mobile campaigns like the one AT&T is conducting are great ways to encourage safe mobile usage.  Companies who create mobile marketing campaigns that are relatable to the lives of consumers like AT&T has done are likely to gain more of an interest from consumers.  When consumers can use mobile marketing campaigns as part of their daily routine, they engage with the company and ultimately bring the company business.

The world of hashtags

In order for mobile marketing campaigns to be relatable, companies need to be familiar with the trends of technological terms.  Currently, hashtags seem to be ruling the mobile technology world.  Hashtags are used as a search feature, so not only are they relatable to consumers, they are a great way to promote business.  A simple hashtag in front of the company name can easily be linked to company websites, social media, consumer ratings, and all sorts of data that is valuable to companies and consumers alike.  Relating to consumers is vital to the success of any type of marketing, but especially to mobile marketing because through mobile devices companies are reaching their consumers on a personal level.  Company advertisements are likely to be ignored if consumers are uninterested, and the quickest way to get consumers’ attention is to relate to them, so companies need to make sure that their mobile marketing campaigns are relatable!

Source: mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/messaging/18338.html