Mhealth leaps forward as Kellogg's, Microsoft, others jump on board
Kellogg's, Walgreens and Microsoft are just a handful of brands that have recently hit the ground running in the mobile health space, suggesting it is where marketers are aiming to be in 2015.
It has only taken a few days in the New Year for brands of all kinds to jump on initiatives involving health and mobile, perhaps due to an arrival of scale for the wearable and health-tracking device space. As 2014 served as an introduction to these types of launches, including Apple Watch, healthier restaurant selections and consumer habits that follow minute-by-minute mobile device use, 2015 could be the year this field explodes.
"The beginning of a new year is a great time to talk about health," said Anne-Marie Kline, senior vice president, MD, BrandLIVE; Social.Content, DigitasLBi. "I have personally been in several conversations where people were comparing their iOS 8 Health app and the number of steps they?d taken, regardless of how inaccurate the number probably is due to not always having their device when working out or walking, but nonetheless it gets a conversation started that?s bigger than it used to be, because it includes people who may not have taken advantage of the early days of fitbit and fuel band.
"In addition, there are now a lot more offerings for technology to seamlessly help people stay on track, including group support, Fitbit scale, CVS health innovation lab, smart watches, Google Fit, FitBit Charge, Withthings and meditation apps," she said.
Early movements
A new survey from Kentico Software points to today?s mainstream channels of consumer research, causing marketers to maintain online and mobile presence to seek the best chance of sales.
To maintain their New Year?s resolutions, consumers plan to search for products online to help their efforts, with more than 35 percent of respondents to a recent survey claiming that they will look for sites or mobile applications that can help them track their progress in achieving their goals.
Wearable devices are sure to gain much attention this year. Fitbit, one of the most mainstream health-tracking devices in the industry, has a head start in 2015.
Now through November, Fitbit is teaming with Kellogg?s to give away Fitbit Flex activity trackers. A promotion appearing on more than 15 million Special K packages across the U.S. will give consumers a chance to win a device.
In February 2014, Kellogg's launched its biggest Olympic and Paralympics marketing campaign to date with mobile playing a key role in how the consumer packaged goods brand activates digital interactions through static packaging.
Kellogg's has plastered mobile calls-to-actions on cereal boxes from brands including Apple Jacks that promote the ?From Great Starts Comes Great Things? campaign, which incorporated 11 different Olympic and Paralympic athletes and hopefuls (see story).
Fitbit is also partnering with Microsoft.
In an aim to reach as many consumers as possible, its partnership with Microsoft hopes to make food and activity logging easier with voice commands. Fitbit has a customized in-app experience for Windows users by incorporating Live Tiles and other features unique to the Windows platform.
In October 2014, Microsoft aimed to differentiate its cloud-based Microsoft Health service and wearable Band in the highly competitive sector by supporting all mobile device platforms, helping it attract big brands such as Starbucks to sign on.
With Apple?s HealthKit and Google?s Fit Platform already in the mix, Microsoft made an attempt to stand out from rival platforms by making Health available to both iOS and Android users and teaming up for cross-partnership opportunities with other major brands and mobile applications (see story).
Similarly, Walgreens is collaborating with Qualcomm Life to power device connectivity with its mobile and Web applications and its Balance Rewards program with care coordination capabilities. Within the apps, Qualcomm Life's 2net Platform will also enable remote patient monitoring, transitional care support and chronic care management through a secure and seamless transmission of biometric data from patients' connected medical devices.
Even adhesive bandages are getting a mobile makeover.
TempTraq by Blue Spark Technologies is a new device used to monitor babies' temperatures, and AmpStrip by FitLinxx, which helps athletes know how hard to train and when to rest are a couple other products that have been introduced this week at CES, the International Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas. Both are made up of a set of sensors inside small adhesive bandages that contain Bluetooth capabilities for sending data to a smartphone and a collaborative mobile app.
Initial efforts
Fitbit has been on the move in its widespread efforts to compete with big wigs, such as Apple.
Last summer, fashion label Tory Burch designed a collection of signature fitness products for FitBit devices to give the products a fashionable edge.
As a way to disguise a less fashionable wearable, the Tory Burch collaboration was likely an attempt to attract fashionistas and involve the brand in the wearable trend. While the jewelry products could have made the fitness wearables more fashionable, the tech devices are not built in and must be purchased separately from FitBit or Tory Burch (see story).
"Brands have the opportunity to be a part of a consumer's healthy lifestyle," Ms. Kline said. "Marketers need to ask themselves how they can adopt this trend, even if the connection with their brand doesn?t seem obvious.
"Downy's products that help promote better sleep are a good example," she said. "Being healthy is hard, but the more ubiquitous it is, the harder it will be to avoid, and if you are going to join in, the gamification and community aspects of technology make it fun and motivational."
Final Take
Caitlyn Bohannon is an editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York