Success stories: How mobile marketing has boosted sales and results for these large companies

More and more advertisers are aware of the value that integrating mobile marketing actions in their communication plans and how to apply this type of actions is becoming essential if they want to increase the engagement with users in this world where we tend to be more connected through our smartphones.

Having a mobile app as a tool to contact them? It is probably one of the most interesting options, but Mobile marketing goes beyond having an appIn this post we compile a series of actions that demonstrate how mobile marketing has become one of the most successful techniques that can bring your brand.

Mobile marketing: Examples and success stories

Starbucks and paying for coffee with your mobile phone

Who would have thought? It's been a few years since this campaign was launched, but at the time it was a revolution. How did they do it? Through a mobile application. The user could locate their nearest Starbucks, place their order and pay for their daily dose of caffeine using their mobile phone.The result: 7 million downloads and an increase in 22% profits.

Subsequently, the coffee company has been incorporating new features and services to retain its customers. Because developing a mobile application is not enough. If we want to improve the engagement of users with our brand, we must constantly add value. To do this, we will intelligently take advantage of the available analysis toolsThe success of an application relies heavily on understanding user behavior to deliver something that generates interest and engagement.

In this sense, Starbucks is a benchmark in the application of mobile marketing actions, which has adopted the philosophy for years mobile first or “mobile first”, offering users useful information on an ongoing basis: recipes, geolocation actions, free music downloads or gift vouchers, among others. So, whether or not we agree to pay a high price for their coffee, we will accept that Starbucks is a benchmark in innovation and when it comes to offering the best to its customers, also through mobile marketing.

Danone and the code that “Feeds Smiles”

In 2013, Danone reconfigured its communications strategy with a new objective: to promote mobile marketing. How did it do it? By proposing one of the actions that until recently generated the best results in the mobile sector: QR codesAnd if these codes were combined with discounts on their products, success was practically guaranteed.

This campaign, designed by 100% in Spain, was One of the largest single code projects in EuropeIn figures, Danone obtained 2 million users, 15 thousand discount coupons downloaded per day and 60 million unique QR codes generated per month.

IKEA and augmented reality in its catalogue

The 2014 catalogue of the Swedish company would go down in history for its originality. IKEA realized that 14% of its customers returned products because they were wrong in the measurements. So they designed an app augmented reality, a technology that more and more companies are learning to take advantage of.

The application showed how the product would look printed in the catalogue, applied in the user's own room.The result? More than 6 million installations. Today, IKEA continues to improve this app with new features.

McDonald's and its “Fry Defender”

How many times have you been told “don’t even think about touching my chips or I’ll kill you” when someone tried to grab a bite from your menu? This idea that makes us sole owners and protectors of this delicious snack inspired McDonald’s to introduce a unique feature in its app aimed at the Canadian public: preventing the theft of the most precious chips in the world. How did they do it? Using the proximity sensor, the user places the smartphone on the tray that will guard the potatoes.. Located in a strategic position on the tray that forces you to pass your hand over the phone to reach the container, the sensor will be activated if it senses an unwanted presence on it and the “thief” will be caught with his hands in the potato.

The application got an increase in downloads from 288% achieving 801% user engagement, over 12 million impressions and over 1 million views of the promotional video. Simplicity and creativity are two of the best ingredients for an effective mobile campaign.

Save the Children and the “Missing Child”

It is estimated that in China 1 child goes missing every 3 minutes, and by law, a child is not considered missing until after 24 hours. The NGO Save the Children then had a Brilliant idea based on geolocationThe operation is very simple: when a child goes missing, family members press the SOS button. The child's image instantly appears on the screens of users who have the app. If someone spots the child, they press the REPORT button and the location is sent to their relatives.

An idea that is not only interesting but also represents a good social cause, for which she was awarded at the awards Webby Awards 2016 with the public award for the best use of geolocation technology for its usefulness in saving lives.

The mobile marketing industry innovates every day in search of new methods to surprise and attract new consumers. Mobile marketing actions with a certain technical and creative complexity that can be overcome if you have your own application. Do you know of other campaigns based on mobile marketing? We invite you to share them with us.
Do you want to create your own app with King of App?