Mobile marketing – Numbers & Facts..
We are permanently monitoring relevant news and reading studies in the world of marketing. Some of our most interesting findings dealing with "mobile marketing" are gathered on this page. We organized the information into the following categories:
Basics | Short Messaging Service (SMS) | Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) | Bluetooth | Mobile Marketing| Miscellaneous | Sources
Basics
Over 90% of all Germans own a mobile phone.
Germany has more mobile phones than land line phones.
61% of the 6 – 19 year olds has a mobile phone - this number increases to 97% for the
18 - 19 year olds (as of 09/2005)
Many experts think that TV will be the next "killer-ap" for mobile phones.
A popular German Telenovela can already be viewed on mobile phones shortly after the TV broadcast.
Mobile phones have been becoming increasingly popular for relationships: People are flirting or even ending relationships via SMS.
The most popular mobile data services are: Sending images or videos via MMs and mobile web & email access.
Short Messaging Service (SMS)
The most popular use of mobile devices is still voice communication (98%). The second most popular use due to a German survey was the sending of SMS and MMS (74%).
99% of the users und 18 years of age are using SMS.
The number of SMS sent per month is increasing with age:
| SMS per Month | 0-9 | 10-49 | 50-99 | <100 | |
| Age 6-12 | 43% | 30% | 12% | 6% | |
| Age 13-17 | 16% | 32% | 23% | 26% |
72% of all surveyed men between 14 and 64 years of age are using SMS
(Age 14 – 29: 91%, age 30-49: 76%, age 50 - 64: 50%)
92% of all women in Germany are using SMS
An estimated 24 million SMS were sent within Germany in 2006.
Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)
46% of all surveyed mobile users confirmed sending images via MMs, 23% are using MMS to send videos or audio files as well.
47% of all woman are using the built-in digital camera of their mobile phones for taking snapshots on the road.
One in three women is sending images via MMS.
80% of all female users consider MMS a "modern love letter".
Sending images via MMS is already the most popular application for mobile phones in countries like Japan (80%), France (68%), Korea (66%) and Great Britain (65%).
An estimated 100 million MMS were sent within Germany in 2006.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth applications are becoming more popular in a steady way.
Over 2/3 of all currently available mobile phones in Germany have a bluetooth interface built in (as of 02/2006).
37% of all women consider bluetooth important when purchasing a new phone.
Mobile Marketing
Many companies are still underestimating the attentiveness of consumers for mobile marketing.
55% of all surveyed consumers were able to remember the name of the company contacting them after the execution of a mobile marketing campaign.
Consumers are particularly interested in availability and special discounts.
32.6% of all consumers think of companies as "forward oriented" that are using mobile marketing.
26.3% associate them with being "innovative".
18.3% think of these companies as "service oriented".
Companies and experts agree on the potential of mobile marketing with certain limitations. The areas of getting attention, brand popularity and client attachment are considered most promising.
Companies generally desire more information in the areas of acceptance within target groups, range of use, privacy laws and avoiding spam.
So far marketers are allocating only 5% of their budgets into mobile marketing. This number is clearly bound to grow in the future.
5-% of all surveyed companies used mobile marketing already or were preparing for it.
Mobile phones are becoming more important as "response channel" for TV or banner campaigns.
Mobile marketing is being established as successful interactive marketing channel:
74% of all surveyed companies met or exceeded their goals.
"Mobile viral marketing" (word of mouth) has the potential to become a very successful branch of viral marketing: Mobile users don't depend on Internet access via Cable, DSL or Wlan. They usually carry their devices with them and are "always on".
Miscellaneous
A Japanese company offers a mobile "door opener". A code gets punched into the phone and the door to the home opens.
"Many Irish are adding a mobile phone to the coffin of their deceased relatives" stated Peter Flanagan (a mobile undertaker).
A local court in England used SMS to collect due payments during a pilot project phase.
German car drivers can use their mobile phones to pay for their parking fees.
Austrian mobile users can pay for their gasoline with their mobile phones.
Japan is planning an earthquake alert system for mobile phones.
A mobile-telenovela was started in Great Britain in 2006: A 5 minute video is getting sent once a day to users of UMTS phones.
Vodafone is planning to offer content from Eurosport, MTV and HBO to mobile users.
