M – marketing is here!

In my earlier post the exciting e MR post was talked about. We saw how web 2.0 has the potential to add significant value to the marketing communication processes.

Today with convergence technologies gaining momentum, the mobile phone is transforming the way we talk over phone, send across data; we can sms, mms, take digital snaps, listen to music, access internet, watch tv (?), use it as an organizer..the mobile phone is a multiple function device. In fact, a new front is opening up – MOBILE COMMERCE. One is expected to use the mobile as a money transfer device too. So can the concept of m – marketing be far behind?!

As per the Economic Times dated 3.2.2007, the mobile phone is developing in to a great market for value added services. As per Zinnov a US based consultant agency, the mobile based value added industry is set to grow from 50 million USD in 2006 to a whopping 10 billion USD by 2009!

MOBILE MUSIC: India is key market for mobile music. The mobile music today chiefly comprises of RINGTONES, CALLER TONES AND MUSIC CLIPS. These show 40 to 50 % growth. The next wave of growth in the mobile music sub segment is expected to come from MUSIC GREETINGS AND SONG DOWNLOADS. 2007 is expected to be a watershed year for mobile music.

MOBILE GAMING: In 2007, mobile gaming is seeing some great interest. By 2009, it is estimated 78.6 million people will be in to mobile gaming. A CAGR of 118% is foreseen in the mobile gaming market in the next two years. There are estimated 50000 game downloads at a price point of Rs. 49/-. The games may come down to Rs. 5/- per download.

Market surveys estimate India will add 140 to 150 million handsets in 2007.

M – marketing in pharma:

Let us imagine we take up m – marketing for COREX (the leader pharma brand of Indian pharma industry). COREX is a decades old brand from Pfizer indicated mainly for dry cough as it contains the anti tussive codeine phosphate. There is logic in applying m – marketing to COREX, since the bulk of mobile value added services users are GenNext doctors. One of the most important needs for an old brand is to introduce the brand to newer target markets in a contemporary way and do some market development. COREX via m-marketing is an ideal brand candidate for such an approach and thereby strengthen its market value.

The approaches for m – marketing for COREX are given below:

1) the field force collects signed consent forms from the doctor, along with target doctor’s mobile number, birth date and marriage anniversary date, (consent to participate in the 9 month m – marketing campaign).
2) The MR/PSR thanks the doctor for agreeing to participate and explains that at 8.00 pm every Friday for 9 months (ie approx. 36 times in the campaign), the doctor will be a recipient of some value added service, courtesy COREX. The doctor will have an option to disable the campaign if he or she wants to.
3) Every Friday at 8.00 pm, the COREX message enters the doctor’s mobile phone.
4) Let us say the first message is ‘GREETINGS FROM COREX. Here is a great joke….Thanks for reading. Goodnight from COREX’
5) Imagine on the doctor’s birthdate, the doctor gets a COREX SMS BIRTHDAY GREETING AND A GREAT MUSIC DOWNLOAD. COREX sings ‘Happy Birthday to you …Goodnight doctor. Thanks from COREX’.
6) Getting serious, COREX can even give a quick research update in the respiratory field at 8.00 pm on a particular Friday.
7) COREX can offer medical tit bits that will be of value to the doctor.
8) COREX can offer on different Fridays, free caller tones, free ring tone downloads, free mobile games downloads…
9) Besides the freebies, COREX can conduct opinion polls on a medical aspect in the respiratory field, on one Friday and publish the results the next Friday.
10) COREX can even conduct a sms based contest on the respiratory field and offer attractive prizes by courier/through the PSR to the winner doctor.

The mobile marketing communication initiative is a yet another front in the pharma Marketing Manager’s marketing mix. It sound exciting isn’t it?

(I dedicate this post to my close friend and a guy I admire a lot: Mr. Vivek Balse, a very senior PSR with Pfizer at Mysore HQ. By the way guys, I have a new mobile no. now: 9980800023)