Cider brand Strongbow is launching a mobile loyalty campaign to reconnect with customers who took part in last years multiple award winning 6-month Bowtime campaign. 
Bowtime is Strongbows new through the line communication idea which was seeded in through 2008 and integrated into the wider above-the-line campaign in 2009. In 2008, mobile was the core channel used, as the campaign was managed and delivered by RAPP and mobile agency Incentivated.
Over 80,000 customers signed up for the campaign, which included mobile barcodes and a pub locator, on-pack promotions, and a promotion on social media site Flirtomatic. All participants were entered into a 4-month CRM campaign, featuring free pint and festival ticket offers, MMS animations and wind-up-a-mate promotions.
The campaign prompted a 39% response rate, and following the campaign, research conducted by Millward Brown among those who had received the CRM activity versus those who had not, showed that the campaign had a statistically significant impact on purchase. For the CRM group, claimed purchase increased by 44%, and brand preference increased by 8%. This compared with decreases in claimed purchase of 4% and decreases in brand preference of 10% for those who had not received the CRM messages.
This will be the third year that Strongbow has used mobile to connect with customers. The loyalty campaign, which launches on 10 July, integrates mobile, email and web elements. A series of text & win competitions invites drinkers to win 60 prizes a day for 60 days, including both high- and low-value prizes like JVC DVD Home Surround Sound Systems, Tangent DAB Digital Radios, iPod nanos, iPod docks and Sharp 19 LCD TVs, as well as Strongbow-branded merchandise.
Strongbow has been building a detailed CRM database, including customers interests, consumption behaviour, ages, mobile numbers, email and postal addresses. This information will be used as the basis for targeted outbound campaigns in 2010.  
The Bowtime campaign proved that mobile is an exciting and effective way to connect with our customers, providing interesting and engaging branded content and competitions, says Strongbow Brand Manager, Fiona Seath. This creates a platform for us to deepen customer relationships and build loyalty throughout the peak summer months.
Incentivated Commercial Director Robert Thurner says that in 2009, the company is witnessing a growing number of clients focusing on the rich data mobile delivers and converting it into highly targeted and relevant campaigns which keep their brands front of mind.
I expect this will pave the way for more expansive, integrated campaigns as market conditions improve later this year, he says.