Mobile — More than a magic moment for marketers?

Abstract

Since the year 2010, the adoption of ‘smart mobile devices’ by consumers in the United Kingdom has increased dramatically. The mobile phone is ubiquitous. More mobile phones exist than personal computers. The interactive digital capabilities of smartphones, and more recently tablet computers, to connect not just socially but to engage and transact directly with brands and retail services through the mobile internet, is a new dimension for consumers, brands and services. Mobile commerce (m-commerce) in the United Kingdom has in the past been littered by many ‘false dawns’. This has been due to slower-than-expected diffusion of mobile technologies and unrealistic aspirations by the telecommunications and marketing industries. The supply chain driving the mobile ecosystem has wrestled with competing legacy issues to generate revenue, while seeking to leverage mobile consumers’ access to the most advanced technologies. Smartphones are now able to empower consumer uses, expression and purchasing decisions, almost anywhere. The ‘tipping point’ for consumer adoption of m-commerce is evident. This has radical implications for brand relationships and the evolution of multi-channel digital strategies. The mobile internet is becoming a powerful purchasing tool in the hands of consumers. But equally, consumers want to be able to trust the technology. They need to understand the relevance of product benefits to their expectations and situation. Brands need to leverage relevant engagement via the mobile if they are not to be left behind.