New DMA Mobile Marketing Study Finds Text Messaging Most Often Recalled M-Marketing Technique

July 17, 2008 — The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) today released the results of its first-ever quantitative research effort in the area of mobile marketing. The online survey indicated that text messaging is by far the most often cited mobile marketing method — accounting for 70 percent of consumer mobile marketing responses — compared to a 41 percent response rate to surveys and a 30 percent response rate for e-mail offers.

“The direct marketing community will find this research useful as it continues to explore ways to offer more relevant and useful information to mobile consumers on-the-go,” said Edward T. Manzitti, Ph.D., and vice president research and market intelligence at the DMA. “These findings suggest that mobile marketing will continue growing into a multi-billion dollar industry as more mobile phone users are enticed by falling prices to purchase data plans and broadband enabled devices.”

Additionally, DMA’s “Mobile Marketing: Consumer Perspectives” survey revealed:

· About one-quarter (24 percent) of those surveyed have responded to a mobile offer.

· One-third of the group that did not respond to any mobile marketing reported that they had never received an offer.

· 71 percent of people who respond to mobile offers have data plans with lack of interest and cost of airtime cited as the leading reasons by those who haven’t responded to mobile offers.

· 21 percent of mobile marketing responders indicated that they responded to three or more offers per month.

· Respondents that used AT&T (Cingular) Wireless and T-Mobile were more interested in mobile marketing incentives than respondents who used Verizon Wireless.

· Teens between 15-17 years old (19 percent) and young adults between 21-30 years old (19 percent) are twice as likely to respond to offers on their mobile devices as individuals between 18-20 years old (seven percent).

· Single (never married) respondents were the most likely of all groups to respond to mobile marketing appeals.

· Overall, higher-income respondents making more than $60,000 per year were more likely to respond to mobile offers.

· Responders to mobile marketing were typically more tech savvy — for example, responders were twice as likely than non-responders to subscribe to Internet-based music subscription services.

· Buyers of entertainment/music/video products were the most likely to respond to mobile offers.

· Categories of mobile offers were dominated by entertainment/music/video (44 percent), followed by:

ü Food/beverage (21 percent) and Telecommunications/Mobile (21 percent).

ü Beauty/personal care (15 percent).

ü Automotive/transportation, business services, consumer electronics, financial services, and vacation/travel each accounted for 12 percent.

ü Healthcare/pharmaceutical and real estate each accounted for 7 percent of mobile offers.

The online survey, conducted in March and April, 2008 collected data from 800 mobile phone owners. 157 surveys were completed by respondents between 15-20 years old and the remaining 643 surveys were completed by respondents 21 years old and older.

“Mobile Marketing: Consumer Perspectives” is available for downloading at DMA’s Online Bookstore. The cost is $295 for DMA members and $ 545 for nonmembers. To purchase, please click here.

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