Engaging Consumers Via Mobile Methods

A new report on mobile advertising in the cosmetics and overall CPG space from Millennial Media and comScore details the tactics CPG brands are implementing to reach consumers through mobile and the response data they are receiving.

In-store actions and behavior obviously have a large impact on CPG purchase behavior. In addressing this, CPG brands are using mobile advertising to target consumers and drive brand awareness to keep their products top of mind. Mobile can help shorten the time between when a CPG brand’s advertisement is viewed and the point of shelf selection by going in-store and in-hand with the consumer to increase brand awareness.

Various mobile strategies, features, and actions help CPG advertisers achieve this awareness; for example, targeting audiences based on location and proximity to a store that sells a brand’s products can get new consumers in the door and one step closer to the product. Advertisers are also repurposing television commercials for the mobile screen in an effort to find a new audience for an already developed ad, at a time when that consumer is much closer to a cash register.

Findings from the report include:

  • Mobile ad spend in the CPG vertical grew 235% year-over-year from 2011 to 2012.
  • Brand awareness was the leading campaign goal for CPG advertisers, and was the main objective for 46% of all campaigns. This was significantly higher than Millennial’s platform average, where brand awareness was the top campaign goal for 14% of total campaigns. Driving site traffic was the second-leading goal for CPG advertisers.
  • 40% of CPG campaigns on the platform in 2012 utilized real-time location-based targeting.
  • 44% of CPG campaigns on the platform used mobile video (as opposed to 16% of all campaigns), and 34% utilized a post-click social media action. These helped drive the top CPG campaign goal of brand awareness.
  • Females were more likely than males to access CPG content on their phones, and the top age group for mobile CPG content was 25-34.
  • 82% of CPG impressions on our platform in 2012 came from smartphones, and 18% came from tablets.
  • “Beverages” was the top sub-vertical in CPG and made up 43% of campaigns on the platform. “Cosmetics and Hygiene” was second, followed by “Food,” “Household Products” and “Pet Products.”

This study was designed to help CPG brands and marketers—including those in cosmetics/hygiene, food, beverage and general household grocery and retail—plan their mobile advertising strategies. The report provides insight into whole mobile CPG consumers are and how they use their mobile devices; what leading CPG brands are doing in mobile today; and how CPG brands can use mobile to reach and engage consumers.

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