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Very drives 45pc mobile sales increase with Shazam, geo-targeted SMS

An integrated holiday marketing campaign from British online retailer Very leveraged Shazam television-synced display ads on Twitter and Facebook as well as geo-targeted SMS messages, helping to drive a 45 percent increase in mobile sales and a return on investment of more than 15 to 1. 

Very worked with agency Somo to develop the campaign with the goal of reaching the retailer?s target audience on mobile whether they were out and about shopping or sitting at home in front of the TV. The effort points to how the retail landscape is changing, with shoppers expecting more contextually relevant communications from retailers. 

?The campaign was exceptionally successful due in large to keeping mobile at the heart of the multi-channel approach, and considering every touchpoint along the customer journey, whether in the home, on the high street or during the daily commute,? said Stephanie Emmanouel, general manager at Somo

?The campaign also ensured that mobile worked alongside and amplified other channels instead of competing against them,? she said.  

Very is a British online retailer targeting a younger demographic and operated by Shop Direct Group. 

Connecting with an audience
The Shazam activity took advantage of the music used in the Very TV ad. While the song was not a well-known one, it was still the third most Shazam'd ad. 

The Shazam integration helped Very reach shoppers who were at home watching TV with their smartphones nearby, an activity that is increasingly popular, especially among Very?s target audience of younger consumers. 

By pairing this with geo-targeted SMS messages, Very was also able to reach its audience when they were in a shopping area and their interest in shopping-related messages was likely to be high. 


The Very campaign also reached customers on Twitter as well as through targeted display ads during peak times of traffic. Rich media and video were also used. 

Consistent messaging
By keeping the messaging consistent throughout, including the music and creative style with the goal of placing Very firmly in the minds of its customers and potential customers. 

Mobile shopping continues to grow, with those retailers who had a strong presence on mobile during the recent holiday shopping period among the winners. 

Music recognition app Shazam has been broadening its capabilities of late, including the addition of new content and in-app listening experiences and partnership with digital watermarking technology provider Digimarc as it looks for ways to keep users coming back to the app (see story). 


?Seventy two percent of adults regularly dual screen whilst watching TV,? said Ms. Emmanouel. ?In order to capitalize on this behavior, mobile activity can be synchronised with TV ad spots. 

?Using audio recognition technology, Very.co.uk mobile ads were targeted to coincide with their TV ad soundtrack, current UK hit singles, and even their competitors? TV ad soundtracks,? she said. ?These media placements enabled mobile to act as a direct response channel for TV, amplifying and converting the reach of Very.co.uk?s TV advertising and targeting that of their competitors.?

Final Take
?Chantal Tode is senior editor on Mobile Marketer, New York