Awards Preview: Most Effective Tablet App

Awards crowd shotThe 2014 Effective Mobile Marketing Awards Ceremony takes place exactly one month from today on 27 November in London. Between now and then, we are throwing the spotlight on the finalists in each of the 26 categories. Today, we take a closer look at the nominees for the Most Effective Tablet App. There are five contenders in this category, let’s take a closer look at each.

Hotels.com
Hotels.com was an early adopter of mobile, starting its journey in 2011 and going on since then to become one of the most-recognized brands in the mobile channel across both web and apps. The Hotels.com tablet app is a beautiful piece of work, combining great photography with a logical, easy-to-use interface that makes it easy to find the hotel you want – fast. The app also recognises the fact that 70 per cent of Hotels.com bookings are made for the same day by featuring hotels close to the user’s location on the app’s homepage.

Publicis-Blueprint – Vue Tablet app
Vue magazine launched in March 2013, and recognising, with the tablet edition following some nine months later. It offers exclusive features, interactive film listings, release alerts, video trailers and additional video footage, such as red-carpet access and interviews with the stars. Readers can also book tickets for Vue Cinema screenings directly from the app. Aside from all the functionality, the app’s other main appeal is that it looks fantastic and offers a variety of ways to navigate the content, while at the same time never straying into the realms of confusing the user about how to find their way around. A great piece of work.

Mothercare and NN4M – The Mothercare iPad App
Mothercare may not be a name much associated with tech innovation, but the company has made real strides in mobile over the last couple of years. It’s iPhone app took the award for Most Effective b2c App in last year’s Awards, and the company’s iPad app is another strong, fully featured offering. In addition to full transactional shopping capabilities, the app also offers a baby-namer, lullabies and nursery rhymes, kick and contraction counters, and a huge selection of advice videos via Mothercare TV. Despite the incredible amount of content available, however, the app is a breeze to use. Pregnant or not, check it out if you like to see tablet apps done brilliantly.

Somo and De Beers – For You Forever
The For You Forever iPad app was created by Somo for De Beers to launch the jewellers new service of the same name, designed to help customers craft their perfect engagement ring.

The app uses beautiful photography and a series of filters such as the style, colour and weight or purity of the diamond to enable customers to arrive at their perfect ring. Customers can create a shortlist of their favourite styles, share designs with others and reserve their final selection. The accompanying responsive site also features a store locator to enable customer to book an appointment with a de Beers expert. The app also integrates with De Beers’ back-end systems to ensure that diamonds that have been sold are not offered as an option. To date, the app has been rolled out in five languages.

iRiS Software Systems Ltd and Kempinski Hotels – iRiS Guest Valet
iRiS Guest Valet is a guest app solution used by the Palais Hansen Kempinski, an exquisite 5-star hotel in Vienna. Its aim is to reduce costs, increase revenues and improve the guest experience, all via an app that comes pre-installed on iPads in every room.

Since its deployment last year, the hotel has reduced printed collateral in-room, seen significant uplift with in-room orders for food and beverages, and optimised across all associate hotel services.

The app links into Property Management Systems to enable integrations such as room requests, limousine bookings, TV, lighting, heating and other room controls, in addition to ordering room service.

On top of all this, it generates revenue for the hotel, with the affluent guests targeted with advertising from high-end brands. A great-looking app and a truly innovative solution to the issue facing most hotels of increasing food and beverage revenues, while at the same time improving the guest’s experience.

The Effective Mobile Marketing Awards Ceremony takes place in London on 27 November. You can book your place here. To get involved with the Awards as a Partner, contact john.owen@wearedotmedia.com
You can see the full list of finalists here.