I was impressed by the news from Trinity Mobile today that it has seen a 1200% increase in the uptake of mobile boarding passes from customers of its airline clients. Whichever way you look at it, a 1200% increase in anything is a pretty impressive growth rate. But then the cynic in you says, Hang on a minute, 1200% up on what? And if youre brutally honest, 50,000 mobile airline boarding passes issued in 2008 is a pretty low base from which to start. But the fact that the figure rose to 600,000 in 2009 is highly significant, I think. Especially since the increase has not come off the back of a big marketing campaign, but from a simple call to action giving customers the option – note that word option of receiving their boarding pass as a text message.
I had the chance to catch up with Emma Potter, Marketing Manager, and Ben Cussack, Creative Director, of Mobile Interactive Group, yesterday. They told me they have never been busier. A little later, the conversation turned to the success that one its retail clients, footwear firm Faith, is having with SMS campaigns to their opted-in databases. And I just came away thinking, its only going to get worse, or make that, better, for companies like MIG that are preaching the mobile message. Because when you give people the option of doing stuff on their phone that they havent been able to do before, and explain how it will make things easier or better for them, more often than not, they will do it.
For the moment, the brands that actually get this are still in the minority, and even many of those that do are only in the very early stages of rolling out their mobile strategy. But as more brands wake up to the power of mobile, and as more brands move from test to full roll-out mode, figures like that 1200% increase in mobile boarding passes are going to become the rule, rather than the exception. Personally, I cant wait.
David Murphy
Editor