For any of you who caught my last post about the M2Moms Conference, you'll recall that mobile was cited as critical for reaching moms. According to Scarborough Research, working moms spend 21% more than average mobile users on wireless bills and are 42% more likely to download mobile content. Moms are prime targets for mobile, and more and more companies are figuring out how to get their brands in her hands.

I've been reading up on mobile for a few months now, to make sure I can advise Maternal Instinct's clients well. I had the good fortune of reading an article by Ben Gaddis, Director of Mobile and Emerging Media Strategy at T3, a Top 100 agency with offices in Austin, NY and San Francisco. Rather than try to summarize what I took away from Ben's article, I asked if he'd grant an interview to Maternal Instinct. He graciously agreed.



So for once I'm not doing the writing -- but the asking -- and Ben is doing the answering.

“What kind of skills should Maternal Instinct -- or any agency -- have to meet the needs of this new medium?”

Good creative is good creative whether it’s on a gigantic billboard or a 2 1/4” x 3” screen. People focus too much on the technology and less on why the consumer will care. Technology shouldn’t get in the way of delivering valuable information to moms on their mobile devices. Find the right technology provider – someone who has figured out how to do it well – and let the technology become secondary. Once creatives know whatever parameters they’re working within, they can still fill it with the biggest idea possible. Rather than focusing on the mobile phone itself, think in terms of the audience – mobile moms – and their goals.

“What uses of mobile advertising hold the most promise for companies targeting moms?”

There are many channels within mobile. You can buy banner ads on sites that target moms. Or you can include mobile in a larger print or broadcast campaign. Think about what sites the moms who might buy your product use on their phones. That might be gaming, recipe sites, shopping sites. Kraft created iFood which is now a top-selling application for moms. You can create your own application or buy a tag at the end of news alerts.

“In a time when ad budgets are dwindling, how can companies justify adding mobile to the mix?”

I would caution you not to look at it as a “have to add” to the mix in addition to, or in place of, something else. Instead think about where dollars make the most sense. If you’re targeting moms age 24-35, 99% of the time, they have their phone with them. You simply can’t get this kind of proximity to moms with TV or Internet or radio. Yet you’re devoting 85% of your budget to broadcast? Why? Mobile is cheaper, more effective, and trackable in terms of performance. That’s why mobile ad budgets are increasing – and predicted to continue to do so – at a time when other budgets are being slashed. Knowing all this, I’d turn the question around to any naysayers in your agency and say “how can we justify NOT adding mobile.”

“How should we optimize our websites – and our clients’ sites -- for mobile use?”

Experience is the #1 goal. Make sure your site loads fast, that the images fit no matter the size of the handset, and that content is relevant to a mom on the go. Things like store locator and phone number are obvious musts. It’s unlikely she's looking for a job opportunity or your company blog from her phone.

“What resources do you recommend to people who want to learn more?”

MobileMarketer.com. Dig into the case studies, which are extensive. TechCrunch has a blog called MobileCrunch. And dotmobi has a couple of blogs that are worth reading, both for developers and creatives.

Thanks, Ben. We appreciate your time and insight.

Labels: iFood, Kraft, Marketing to Moms, mobile advertising

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