Given the explosive growth of smart phone adoption, retailers are increasingly turning to the mobile channel to engage consumers on their terms. Capitalizing on the cost-efficient model of short message service (SMS), or text messaging marketing, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is engaging shoppers via its “Hot Rod Amplifier Summer Tune Up” promotion.
According to ABIResearch, SMS has proven to be a success since its inception in the early 1990s. The research firm predicts that 4.2 billion mobile subscribers will send seven trillion text messages in 2011.
Tapping technology from direct digital marketing services provider Knotice, Fender has placed rebate tags with a short code on qualifying Fender Hot Rod Amplifier products. After purchasing the product, consumers text the call-to-action to a short code to fill out and submit a rebate form for free products.
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“Today’s consumers always have a mobile device within reach,” said Chrissy Mauck, web site Content Producer and Editor at Fender. “We wanted to provide our customers with a mobile experience they would find convenient and immediately rewarding.”
To be eligible for the free products, customers must fill out and submit the form by July 31, 2011. Through the use of ConcentriMobile, an on-demand software, Fender can connect with consumers via their mobile devices. The initiative is focused on capitalizing on the real-time nature of smart phone capabilities, to offer a more interactive form of engagement while in-store.
“The hallmark of a successful mobile marketing initiative is a strong focus on creating value for the consumer,” said Brian Deagan, Co-Founder and CEO of Knotice. “I’m looking forward to working with Fender as they use the mobile channel to build relationships with and provide value to their customers.”
Earlier this year Knotice released “Harnessing the Power of the Mobile Web,” a 20-page white paper and guide for marketers planning mobile web and 2D strategies. In the report the company noted how side-stepping an SMS call-to-action as a connector can provide significant cost savings, despite the text fees from carriers.
