Nigeria Mobile marketing : The uncharted waters

Mobile marketing is used to describe marketing via the mobile devices and phones.In Nigeria, traditional methods of marketing is still the way to go because it has been tested and trusted over the years even with its declining Return on investment.Nigeria media marketing is worth over 4 Billion Dollars according to the Nigerian Marketing Association, Apcon.
Television, outdoor media and Radio accounts for the bulk of media channels in nigeria while internet is less than 0.05( There are only 6 internet connections per 1000) and mobile is just evolving.The focus is on the traditional media but the future and the reality is pointing towards Mobile.


There are 23 million Televisons sets in Nigeria, 7 Million Radio sets, one fully national Television station,60 regional and semi regional Tevevision stations, one national radio station but 42 million mobile users in a population of 140 million.Figures dont lie.
While Traditional media is largely untargetted, Mobile marketing can be tailored to targetted audiences,measure and track result,reduce cost and capitalize on emerging technologies.

The percularities of the Nigerian lanscape should have long prompted Brand managers to start asking their agencies questions about Mobile marketing, in face of the gradual decline in all other media channels.Television viewship is declining at a fast rate for the following reasons,influx of cheap Chinese pirated movies,electricity failures,absence of prime time Tv shows and absence of national Television stations.Radio has its own challenges too and outdoor is location specific.Mobile is the only meduim with anywhere and anytime advantage with possiblities to accomodate all array of features like video,mms, pictures, sms, internet and others.Mobile is more powerful personal meduim than any other.And it is time, that Nigerian Brands exploit the oppourtunity.


While Nigerian Brands want to be seen in the leagues of world class Brands but they should also understand that No world class brand evolved through a single advertising media but rather through a range or media.Survey of world class leading brands found that best performers were those that integrated their marketing across range of media and often blurring the lines between advertisement and entertainment,which consumers tend to enjoy.

The challenge of Mobile marketing buying process is still unclear in Nigeria.Brand owners who desire to infuse mobile marketing into their marketing mix do not clearly understand how to go about it.Do they approach the mobile network operators,value added service provider or a marketing agency? Few mobile marketing mobile marketing campaigns that had been deployed in Nigeria are mainly by the value added services providers which lacks the touch of Brand managers because they dont have brand managers in house.Nigerian Marketing agencies do not have mobile agency departments or even desk.

Mobile marketing should not be limited to the normal text-to-win promotions in Nigeria.It is a two way communicator which will bring the much needed interactivity because consumers want to have closer relationships with fewer brands. And the mobile provides such channel.

Emmanuel@gomobileng.com