SAN FRANCISCO - During a mobile session at ad:tech, a Coca-Cola executive said that mobile needs to be integrated organically into marketing campaigns to drive innovation and consumer experiences.

The executive shared best practices and examples of creative campaigns that have been executed to engage consumers on their mobile devices. The panel was moderated by Jeff Crowe, partner of Norwest Venture Partners, San Francisco.

?We?re all about a Coke in one hand and a phone in another,? said Tony Francis, a member of the global connections team and responsible for the strategic direction and integration of mobile within marketing communications at The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta. ?Mobile is event driven, out of home and connects the offline to the online world.

?In terms of live events we do see higher participation,? he said. ?Consumers really want to interact with our brands and really integrate compelling experiences into this.?

Other panelists included, Vijay Pullur, founder and CEO of SocialTwist, Mountain View, CA, Michael McDowell, manager of shopper marketing at Sara Lee, Downers Grove, IL, Dorrian Porter, founder and CEO of Mozes, Palo Alto, Brad Klaus, cofounder/CEO of Extole, San Francisco, and Michael Ceorgoff, director of partner marketing at redbox, Oakbrook Terrace, IL.

Case study
Coca-Cola ran a mobile campaign during the Essence Music Festival.

The three-day festival featured seminars and live music performances by speakers and artists in the African American community.

There were more than 40,000 attendees. Coca-Cola was a presenting sponsor at the event and was featured in a mainstage moment.

During the show, attendees were encouraged to text the keyword CELEBRATE then space followed by their first and last name to the short code 66937.

The company was giving away tickets to its BBQ event to the first 500 entries, as well as four VIP passes.

The company found that in 30 seconds, 3,145 people pulled out their phones for a chance to win.

Twenty percent of users that engaged opted in for an ongoing connection with the brand and 16 percent of the audience engaged with Coca-Cola digitally at the concert more than once.

?Roughly 16 percent of attendees participated and one in five opted in for an ongoing connection with the brand as part of Coca-Cola?s database connection to build their relationship with their customers,? Mozes? Mr. Porter said.

?We learned that mobile worked really well around passionate people at live events,? he said.

Mobile phenomenon
According to Coca-Cola?s Mr. Francis, the company sees the value of mobile, especially since it is a highly personalized device.

?The mobile phone is a phenomenon,? Mr. Francis said. ?It?s the new remote control of consumer?s lives.

?Mobile helps gets recruitment for us,? he said. ?It gets people drinking our product, but only if we?re doing it right.?

?It?s important to drive innovation through mobile with digital vending, mobile wallets, mobile vaults and consumer experiences.?