NEW YORK ? A Coty Inc. executive at the MMA SM2 Innovation Summit 2016 claimed that some of the main mobile marketing trends she noticed this year centered on data and utility, proving that personalization trumps all when it comes to running a successful campaign.

During the session, ?Insights from The Smarties Jury Room,? executives from Coty, TD Ameritrade and Millward Brown highlighted some of the top mobile campaigns of 2016, which included work from Dunkin? Donuts, BMW and Miami Heat. They also pinpointed personalization as the most important factor in these award-winning campaigns, as consumers belonging to the Generation Z and millennial demographics have come to expect customized content from the brands they interact with.

?The trends that I walked away with this year were centered on utility and data,? said Kristen D?Arcy, vice president of global digital at Coty Inc. ?On the data side, if you look at the Miami Heat app or Spotify Singles, they?re not big, sexy, splashy campaigns, but they did use data to personalize the experience with the consumer.?

Counting on creative
While having outstanding creative is imperative in running a successful campaign, marketers must also take advantage of mobile?s fluidity and customize their content to each audience or consumer ? especially since this is something that Generation Z members and millennials have come to expect.

Mobile touchpoints are different for each demographic, a notion that should be considered alongside any advertising strategy.

To bring digital further into the mainstream strategy development process, Coty facilitated change from within the organization ? by demanding that each creative meeting start with discussion about mobile.

?We are an organization that, years ago, had thought of digital more broadly ? as an afterthought,? Ms. D?Arcy said. ?Digital was usually the appendix.

?[Then we] demanded every creative meeting start with [talk about the] mobile device,? she said. ?Because you have that pressure internally to change, rightly so, then you are seeking agencies that mirror that culture.?

Another campaign aspect that should be at the forefront of marketers? minds ? alongside quality of the creative ? is personalization.

?Creative can be outstanding, but without true customer insight, especially in a world of mobile with such an intimate connection, I think that?s where the focus should be,? said Denise Karkos, chief marketing officer of TD Ameritrade.

For example, basketball team Miami Heat?s mobile application customizes the user experience based on each individual?s interaction levels.

?They took content, were able to customize it across 27 different fan profiles to give you, upon entry to the home screen, a totally personalized experience,? Coty?s Ms. D?Arcy said.

Leveraging new platforms
In addition to taking advantage of personalization capabilities, mobile marketers seeking to make their mark on consumers? smartphones should also focus on creating engaging campaigns and testing out new technologies.

One campaign extolled by some of the executives on the panel was BMW?s Eyes on Gigi campaign, which took the form of a video clip featuring supermodel Gigi Hadid speeding through a racetrack full of M2 Coupes.

Viewers saw Ms. Hadid step into one of the vehicles and were encouraged to try to follow her car as it wove between the other identical M2 Coupes ? a feat that proved to be difficult for many (see story).

?BMW, they know their role,? TD Ameritrade?s Ms. Karkos said. ?Eyes on Gigi is something that captivated people.

?The number one job of a marketer is to know your purpose. Once you understand that, you can proliferate your message everywhere.?

Another top 2016 campaign was Dunkin? Donuts #WTFast campaign, which commemorated the national rollout of on-the-go ordering for the brand?s DD Perks loyalty members by featuring a 360-degree video of the world?s fastest Dunkin? run, performed by the world?s fastest flying woman, Ellen Brennan (see story).

Three-sixty-degree video is quickly becoming a top mobile marketing trend, due to the interactivity it promotes.

?If you can execute it right quickly, you really establish yourself as a creative force,? said Joline McGoldrick, vice president of research at Millward Brown. ?With 360-degree video, you are challenged and you want to dive in.?

Ultimately, the most important piece of advice to keep in mind is to develop creative relevant to the target demographic.

?Mobile is fluid and different for every person and generation,? Ms. McGoldrick said.