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As an essential part of every mobile commerce operation, mobile marketing strategies—especially thoroughly researched ones—can potentially improve perceptions of your store for the better.
But creating an effective mobile marketing strategy isn’t an easy feat either, as there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to this kind of thing.
However, there’s still something to be learned by observing the big guys—and that’s why we’ll be discussing and showing you 6 mobile marketing case studies from big brands.
1. Burger’s King
The competition in the fast-food industry is tough, like fire-blazing tough.
With its aim to boost app downloads and appeal to younger demographics, Burger’s King recently launched a now-famous campaign called Burn That Ad. This one is one of the very few innovative mobile marketing case studies that have elements of Augmented Reality (AR) incorporated into it, expanding the potential of mobile marketing even more.
While it was only launched in Brazil, the mobile campaigns case study was wildly popular worldwide because of the idea behind it. Simply with Burber’s King app installed on their smartphones, users could set any of Burger’s King’s main competitor ads on fire in real-time—figuratively, and receive a free Whopper for doing so.
Although there’s no official number from Burger’s King to prove the effectiveness of this campaign yet, its popularity is already an indicator of which, as the ad can be said to be the future of Augmented Reality marketing which seamlessly mixes elements of real life with the fictional, digital world.
Recommended reading: Augmented Reality: The Future of E-Commerce
2. L’Oreal
L’Oreal brings a whole new experience to the table when it comes to mobile marketing, as the brand, in keep with the current trend, now utilizes augmented reality to give its lady-audience a first-hand experience of their products.
This is the proper way to marketing, as people should be able to try out products by themselves, online. And since the road that we’re heading toward has mobile-first as its goal, you can be assured that there are only more marketing campaigns and AR-powered applications like this.
3. IKEA
For a furniture brand, IKEA is unmatched in its ability to innovate. The brand is known for being one of the first brands to have adopted Augmented Reality into their mobile marketing campaigns, making the future of mobile marketing be the future of seamless integration between devices, with a focus put more toward the mobile devices owing to its ability to conveniently utilize the latest techs.
This is the first of many similar mobile campaigns case studies that come after, indicating a trend of mobile marketing that has augmented reality at its core for the best visualization experience possible for the customers. The successes of AR-powered apps are also not be downplayed, as IKEA Place — IKEA’s trademark app for augmented reality furnishing — is ranked No. 2 among the most popular free apps that use Apple’s ARKit.
4. Gordon’s Tonic
Gordon’s Tonic might be the first among many to have incorporated geofencing into their SMS marketing campaign, and it was brilliantly executed as well. With ‘alleviating frustration at the station’ as its central theme, the mobile marketing campaign for ecommerce launched off targeting frustrating train commuters within a specific group age (18+) and geographic area.
Most of us can relate to the feeling of being stuck in traffic—exhausted, crowded, and craving a drink. This shared experience is why the campaign was such a success. It converted 21% of its target audience into Gordon’s Gin & Tonic buyers. Even more impressively, 60% of commuters said they’d be more likely to buy from the brand again after their first experience.
5. Warner Bros.
Warner Bros partnered with Snapchat to create the first voice-activated AR lens for promoting Shazam!. The innovative campaign uses the iconic catchphrase “Shazam” to trigger the transformation. By saying “OK, Shazam!” on Snapchat, users could become a superhero, just like the one in the movie.
Warner Bros’ partnership with Snapchat was a perfect fit, as 70% of active users engage with AR Lenses daily, and Snapchat’s core audience is primarily 13 to 34-year-olds. The campaign exceeded expectations, boosting global movie recognition.
6. Coca Cola
When it comes to mobile marketing case studies, Coca Cola seems to always be at the top of their game. And if we’re talking mobile marketing, they have plenty of marketing case studies to share as well. Let’s take a look at one of the most famous mobile marketing case study from them to see where they did right:
The campaign invited people worldwide to submit selfies for a digital photomosaic, “Happiness Flag.” As the main sponsor of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Coca-Cola launched its most ambitious marketing campaign, targeting over 170 global markets. Entries could be submitted through popular apps like Facebook and Twitter, mobile web, or SMS, generating a custom badge for the mosaic. The campaign also featured a mobile-optimized site to ensure the best experience across devices.
7. HotelTonight
The HotelTonight mobile advertising case study showcases innovative strategies in mobile advertising, particularly through its use of urgency and personalization to engage consumers. Here are detailed insights into their marketing efforts:
FOMO-Themed Campaign (2019)
HotelTonight launched the “A Hard Deal to Deal With” campaign, emphasizing the fear of missing out (FOMO) associated with their Daily Drop feature. This feature offers significant discounts on last-minute hotel bookings, but only if users act quickly—within 15 minutes. The campaign utilized humor and relatable scenarios to resonate with its target audience of affluent travelers aged 25-39, who are likely to book hotels spontaneously.
Key Elements
- Emotional Engagement: By emphasizing missed savings, the campaign triggered emotions that encouraged quick action, boosting engagement and app downloads.
- Cross-Channel Marketing: The campaign utilized TV ads, YouTube and Hulu spots, GIFs, banner ads, and social media on Instagram and Facebook to reach consumers across multiple platforms.
8. KFC
A notable mobile marketing restaurant case study is KFC’s campaign that utilized location-based technology to drive foot traffic into their stores. Here’s a detailed look at the case study:
Overview
In October 2015, KFC launched a mobile advertising campaign aimed at promoting its new burrito food range. The campaign focused on leveraging mobile location technology to attract customers who were nearby, effectively tempting them away from competitors.
Insights
Jenny Packwood, KFC’s head of digital, PR & brand communications, highlighted that young adults and busy families use mobile devices for convenience. This insight led to their strategy of using location technology to reach consumers when they need dining options
Objectives
- Increase Foot Traffic: The primary goal was to drive more customers into KFC restaurants by targeting local smartphone users.
- Engage Busy Families: KFC identified busy parents as a key demographic that could benefit from convenient meal options.
Strategy
- Location Targeting: KFC partnered with xAd to implement proximity targeting and conquest ads. This involved sending targeted advertisements to consumers’ smartphones when they were near KFC locations or even at competitor restaurants.
- Dynamic Creative Ads: The ads featured dynamic content that included the distance to the nearest KFC, making it easy for potential customers to find the restaurant quickly.
- Tailored Messaging: The campaign’s messaging was tailored specifically for families, highlighting the convenience and appeal of KFC’s offerings.
Implementation
- Media Agency Collaboration: Blue449 acted as the media agency, helping to strategize and execute the campaign.
- Duration: The campaign ran for three months, starting in March 2015.
Results
- Increased Engagement: The campaign’s click-through rate surpassed the industry benchmark by 40%, signaling high engagement with the ads.
- Foot Traffic Boost: Though exact foot traffic figures weren’t shared, KFC noted a significant rise in store visits linked to the campaign’s success.
9. HyperBeard
A compelling example of a mobile publisher case study is the success story of HyperBeard, a hyper-casual mobile game publishing studio based in Mexico. This case study highlights how HyperBeard effectively utilized data analytics to enhance their portfolio’s lifetime value (LTV) by 35%.
HyperBeard, known for its simple mobile games, struggled with user acquisition and retention across multiple titles. To solve this, they partnered with Tenjin, a mobile marketing analytics platform, which offered tools for tracking user behavior. Co-founder and CEO, Alex Kozachenko, highlighted the value of Tenjin’s DataVault for tracking creative performance and analyzing portfolio LTV.
By leveraging this data, HyperBeard was able to gain insights into user pathways within their game portfolio. For example, they tracked how users moved between games, thereby helping to identify which titles served as strong entry points for newcomers. This insight refined their user acquisition strategies, allowing them to allocate resources more efficiently across campaigns and optimize marketing efforts.
Conclusion
As you can see, there’s a clear shift toward mobile-first multichannel marketing, proven to deliver the best ROI for brands. Mobile commerce is already popular and is set to become the default retail channel. If you’re a Magento store owner not yet adopting this approach, SimiCart offers a cost-effective, fast solution to help you make the switch.
Read more:
Top 7 E-Commerce Apps for Your Inspiration
Easy App Marketing Ideas to Boost Your App Downloads
