With mobile becoming a hot spot for brands launching large-scale digital campaigns, sometimes a brand?s image gets bogged down by technology. Here, experts weigh in on the best ways to plan a mobile initiative that puts a brand?s image as the centerpiece of a campaign.

From applications, SMS and QR codes, all mobile channels need to be treated uniquely with different users in mind. Additionally, brands need to think about more than just slapping a logo on a piece of marketing material to get the attention of mobile users who are constantly on the go.

?With 600 million iOS and Android apps on the market and where that number is predicted to double of over the next 12 months, the device historically known as the third screen is quickly becoming the primary screen,? said Craig Palli, vice president of business development at Fiksu Inc., Boston.

?As such marketers must shift with consumer behavior to the mobile device in order to drive brand exposure and engagement,? he said.

Mobile real estate
According to Mr. Palli, mobile apps play a large role in branding with a company?s logo taking a prime placement on a user?s mobile device.

Apple?s recent announcement of 25 million App Store downloads is proof that brands face a massive hurdle in getting an app noticed, downloaded and used by consumers.

Therefore, marketers need to think of ways to keep users interacting with a brand even when it may not be open on a device.

For example, push notifications can be a great feature to include in apps that reinforce a brand with relevant messages based on previous mobile app activity.

Walgreens recently updated its iPhone and Android mobile refill apps to let users set reminders on when it is time to take their medications (see story).

Afterwards, the app then sends another push notification to remind users to set a follow-up time. By sending a second message, Walgreens is able to give out relevant content that reflects the main purpose of the app and brand ? to help users manage their health.

?With apps, marketers can for the first time create a persistent presence on a consumer's device,? Mr. Palli said.

?Often this presence can be created for less than the cost of keyword click through desktop search engine marketing,? he said.

?This cost effective brand exposure then opens up new levels of brand engagement as marketers can then leverage the app's device presence to interact with consumers daily.?

Mobile optimization
Many brands have flocked to mobile bar codes as a way to give users a piece of additional content. However, QR codes also have the possibility of ruining a brand?s image if poorly executed.

First, mobile bar codes need to be promoted with a call-to-action that clearly explains what consumers can expect after scanning it.

Additionally, all content needs to lead users to an optimized Web site that is relevant to what the QR code promised to deliver.

?To maintain a brand consistency, if a company is including mobile marketing, it has to be extended in a way that mirrors the rest of the brand,? said Luke Lightfoot, marketing and client services expert at UR Mobile, Oklahoma City.

?There are lots of different things being done in mobile, and brands need to understand what makes sense in a way that does not make it more complicated for the end user,? he said.

With smartphone ownership continuing to grow, consumers are increasingly familiar with QR codes, meaning that they expect more from their mobile experiences.

Although marketers seem to be slapping mobile bar codes on everything, simplicity should still be the corner stone of a mobile campaign with easy-to-use forms, optimized pages and content that is an extension of where the mobile bar code is placed.

Loyalty is key
Making loyalty and CRM key to mobile initiatives in a multichannel campaign keeps a brand as the center of attention, according to an executive from Hipcricket.

?Mobile should never stand on an island ? it is another tool in the marketer?s arsenal which we can use to engage consumers on a personal level,? said Eric Harber, chief operating officer at Hipcricket, Kirkland, WA.

Brands should tap marketing channels, such as television, print and Web to combine all mobile marketing channels to create a fully branded marketing experience, per Mr. Harber.

Smart marketers can brand their SMS programs using time of day and relevant messages that give users an additional piece of content that they cannot get elsewhere.

?Like any other marketing initiative, SMS and mobile marketing should always carry the company?s branding whether it be through language and tone or colors, logos and graphics delivered via MMS,? Mr. Harber said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York