Creating for the Experience

We recently attended the 3rd annual Mobile Ventures Summit that was held on September 12 in NYC. This impressive conference is dedicated to bringing brands across different industries to discuss opportunities specifically around mobile and learn from each other. JUICE Mobile was proud to be a sponsor of the event and get to be a part of the discussion, along with top innovators and thought leaders in the mobile space.

MVS Founder, Dirk Rients, in his opening remarks stated, “Mobile presents a unique way to connect with consumers”, and we at JUICE couldn’t agree more. With consumers now spending over 5 hours a day on their mobile device, brands need to embrace mobile, and develop content and creative specifically designed for this personalized device.

Developing a “Mobile First Approach” (three words that continuously echoed throughout the conference) is needed to ensure brands are properly engaging with their target audience, particularly around creative. As Chris Satchell, EVP and Chief Product Officer of Comcast Cable said, “If your creative doesn’t serve your customer, don’t do it.”

The shift to adding a digital advertising strategy, specifically a focus on mobile, can present a huge challenge for certain brands. This is especially true for decades old companies such as The Hershey Company, founded in 1894. As one of the largest companies in the world, they’ve had an almost, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality when it comes to advertising. This has led to a slow adoption for a mobile first strategy. Fortunately, Noelle Perez, Hershey’s Sr. Manager of Global Marketing & Digital Advancement is tasked with doing just that.

Mobile can also present a unique opportunity for brick and mortar locations. For example, Subway, the world’s second largest restaurant chain, now looks at mobile as an extension of their restaurant, one which offers the opportunity to differentiate their locations on a local level at scale.

Whether you are a brand who currently embraces a mobile first strategy, or thinking about it, one thing is for certain; mobile is constantly evolving. With that, there is a need to continuously look to the future. This brings me to one of my favorite panels, (I might be a little biased), which was titled “What’s Next In Mobile”, hosted by JUICE’s own VP of Sales, Elma Redzepagic. In it, brands such as Unilever, National Geographic, and FreshDirect discussed how “what’s next” for mobile is the evolution of what currently separates mobile from other channels- better targeting, the ability to create custom experiences, the ability to connect with users on another level, and more. This could be through VR, AR, custom mobile content, and of course my favorite four letter word…data!

At a conference with the word “mobile” in it, it’s no surprise we were all touting the power this device has in connecting a highly targeted, engaged consumer with brand messaging. Whether you realize it or not, the way you experience brand messaging on your mobile device is going to be different from the way you experience it across other mediums. Create for the mobile experience!

If you are a brand that has embraced mobile…great. If not, you need to. There’s a reason our phones are the first thing we look at when we wake up, and the last thing we look at before we go to bed. There’s never been anything like it. Think about it, when was the last time you anxiously awaited the release of a new TV?