MOBILE MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS TO THE YOUTH An Analysis of the MXit Platform Charmaine du Plessis Department of Communication Science, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa Keywords: Mobile Commerce, Mobile Marketing, Mobile Marketing Communications, Mobile Social Network, MXit. Abstract: This paper explores the various ways in which mobile marketing communications are available to the youth on a very popular South African mobile social network site known as MXit. The popularity of cellular phones has resulted in mobile-based brand advertising and promotions that specifically target the youth. The mobile medium is used by marketers as an additional channel to current marketing communications strategies. Because the mass market in South Africa does not use expensive cellular handsets, the format of mobile marketing communications is kept simple. MXit offers its subscribers effortless and accessible technology as well as appealing content, which is why it has become a prominent advertising platform. This is illustrated by examining two mobile marketing communication campaigns (one completed and one continuous) using MXit as an additional marketing communications channel to existing traditional marketing communications channels. 1 INTRODUCTION (Carroll, Barnes, Scornavacca & Fletcher 2007:81). Because a cellular phone is a very personal item, The mobile platform has become increasingly it has a great deal of potential in terms of tailor- dominant as a method of communication, simply made, personalised, two-way interaction, especially because a cellular phone is permanently switched between the marketer and the customer. Other on, is within reach and is a very personal device. advantages include high reach, relatively low cost, Marketers are therefore making use of the high retention and flexibility. Marketers can opportunity to communicate information about their virtually reach cellular phone users anytime and products and services to their target market in what anywhere, even more so than the internet, because is known as “mobile marketing”. customers always carry their cellular phones with According to Pousttchi and Wiedemann (2006), them. Marketing communication messages sent via mobile marketing is a division of mobile commerce. a mobile medium represent mediated interactivity They define mobile commerce as “any kind of (communication between two individuals facilitated business transaction, on the condition that at least by a device). However, interactivity can only occur one side uses mobile communication techniques “. if the recipient of the message chooses to interact The focus of mobile marketing lies in the fourth P of with the sender. Marketing communication the four Ps of the marketing mix: promotion, which messages should therefore be designed to generate is why they therefore prefer the term “mobile interactivity as a result of its perceived value marketing communications”. Pousttchi and (Sinisalo, Salo, Karjaluoto & Leppaniemi Wiedemann (2006) define mobile marketing as a 2007:774). “form of marketing communications using mobile To develop more effective ways to target communication techniques to promote goods, consumers, service providers have begun to explore services and ideas”. This definition of mobile the marketing potential of mobile social networks of marketing is adopted for this paper. consumer-to-consumer communication. For A variety of technological platforms support example, Vodafone pushes Multi-Media Messaging mobile marketing applications, such as wireless (an enriched form of texting that enables consumers application protocol (WAP), short message service to attach sounds, pictures, and videos to their text (SMS) and multimedia message service (MMS) messages by enticing SMS users to share and experiment collectively with this new service 5 du Plessis C. (2010). MOBILE MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS TO THE YOUTH - An Analysis of the MXit Platform. In Proceedings of the International Conference on e-Business, pages 5-13 DOI: 10.5220/0002886200050013 Copyright c SciTePress ICE-B 2010 - International Conference on e-Business (Kleijnen, Lievens, De Ruyter & Wetzels 2009:15). 2 MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS Advances in internet tools and cellular phone features allow numerous mobile applications such as TO THE YOUTH to personalised ring tones, phone interface and style, screen savers, information, SMS alerts, address The popularity of cellular phones has resulted in books, pictures albums and MMS services. Because mobile-based brand advertising and promotions that they can personalise their own mobile service specifically target the youth. Although the youth experiences, cellular phone users increasingly market is often referred to by marketers as demand affordable and reliable services that “adolescents”, “Generation Next”, “Generation Y” correspond exactly to their specific individual needs, or even the “internet or iGeneration”, researchers of lifestyles and preferences (Sigala 2006:395). the Golden Age youth survey – which was SMS is still the most popular mobile data completed in 2008 – now challenge the traditional application for marketing (Timpson & Troutman demographic definition of “youth”. They argue that 2009:59), but marketers are also exploring other the traditional definition of youth is no longer mobile marketing strategies to reach more relevant in today’s society and that the youth market consumers; in other words, not only those who is much larger than is believed. Marketers should have been granted permission to be opted in to therefore “target consumers based upon their receiving mobile advertising messages. Marketers engagement and participation in youth culture rather increasingly let consumers subscribe to a branded than on their chronological age” mobile channel (contracted with a mobile service (http://www.netimperative.com/news/2008/october/ provider) where they can access different offerings 1st/study-debunks-2018golden-age-of-youth2019). that may include exclusive content as well as Cellular phones are essential to many youth applications, games, special opportunities, lifestyles. Not only have they become indispensable incentives, and even emotional experiences to fashion statements, but they also help their owners strengthen the value of the sponsoring brand while, connect with and synchronise peer networks. Using at the same time, generating business value. As a cellular phones may also help young people gain and result, organisations engage with consumers on a maintain peer group acceptance (Grant 2007: 224). deeper level and increase their brand loyalty; Young people have an “intimate relationship” with consumer retention is also enhanced (Friedrich, their cellular phones. Mobile marketers realise that Gröne, Hölbling & Peterson 2009: 54). Because a they can reach the youth at any time (Okazaki 2009). cellular phone usually belongs to one person only, Numerous studies examining the reason for youth’s mobile service providers are also able to do rapid adoption of cellular phones refer to the uses “contextual marketing” to their subscribers based on and gratification theory, which assumes that media tracked information such as geographical position of audiences are active, seek goal-directed gratification users, technical addresses of the cellular phones and that the choice of media lies with the individual, and customer profiles. Contextual marketing refers to that media compete with other sources for the extent to which e-businesses use the internet to consequent satisfaction (Leung & Wei 2000). Other provide customers with relevant information in the studies refer to the social network theory, which right context and in real-time (Lee, Korea & Jun stresses the importance of personal attributes in 2007:799). terms of obtaining a certain position in a network However, marketing via a mobile platform also (Kleijnen et al 2009). Ling (2007:60) refers to poses various limitations and challenges, such as research in Europe, which indicates that mobile small screen size, limited bandwidth, device communication enhances informal social interaction diversity, limited set of visual and audio capabilities, within the user’s immediate group of friends – and issues such as permission-based regulations, which makes cellular phones an indispensable item. consumer trust, and perception of personal intrusion. Research by Nielsen in 2009 on media usage by Marketers therefore consider the mobile medium as teenagers in the United States (and other countries in a complementary or substitute channel to current which the company tracks internet use, such as the marketing communication strategies (Sinisalo, Salo, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Karjaluoto & Leppaniemi 2007:775). Alternatively, China, Brazil, Australia and South Africa) reveals they use mobile marketing communications that teenagers send text messages at incredible rates, primarily to strengthen the organisation’s brand and that they are also early adopters of all mobile (Okazaki 2009:168). media. Marketers can therefore reach them through other mobile platforms; in other words, not only 6 MOBILE MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS TO THE YOUTH - An Analysis of the MXit Platform through SMS marketing (Nielsen, 2009). Another 1. Which marketing communication tool (as study by Nielsen in 2008 found that teen mobile identified in MXit) was used? media users were approximately three times as 2. Which aspects of mobile marketing interested in mobile advertising as the total communications were adopted by using this tool?