This is a presentation I gave at eTail Asia 2013 in Singapore that highlights the opportunities for brands to leverage on mobile devices and apps to drive sales and branding. There are interesting statistics that show how consumer behavior has shifted with mobile devices and insights from a survey I did on what makes a great mobile app. It also details three key rules when it comes to making mobile apps and some brand examples of great apps.

2. A QUICK POLL
A SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY OF YOU…

3. WOKE UP THIS MORNING TO THE ALARM
ON PHONE?
“I hate my new phone.
It keeps waking me up in the morning”
*54% of smartphone users use their phones in place of an alarm
Key Implication: Mobile phones are the first and (probably) the last thing you interact with daily

4. CHECKED THEIR PHONES IMMEDIATELY
AFTER WAKING UP?
*53% of people reach for their mobiles the first thing in the morning
Key Implication: Mobile is now the first screen of choice. In fact, 50% of people in Asia access
the web primarily or exclusively via their mobile phones

5. HAS SCANNED A QR CODE BEFORE?
Rise in the use of QR codes in Singapore over the last 2 years
Key Implication: Consumers are becoming more sophisticated in their use of mobile technology

6. SEARCHED FOR SOMETHING USING YOUR
MOBILE WHILE IN-STORE?
*Over 60% of smartphone owners used their mobile phones to make local searches. And 70%
of them make a decision in the same day (as compared to 30% on a PC)
Key Implications: The right message at the right place and time can trigger consumer action

7. OWNS A TABLET?
*31% of Singaporeans own a tablet. Globally, more web traffic from mobile devices are coming
from tablets than from mobile phones (Adobe Study)
Key Implication:. Brands need to ensure that digital/mobile experiences are designed and
optimized for multiple devices

8. TAKEN A PICTURE OF YOUR FOOD,
UPLOADED IT ONLINE BEFORE START YOU
EATING?
Some people spend more time documenting their lives than living it
All these highlight a shift in how we behave with our mobile devices.
This presents a great opportunity for brands as consumers are engaging with their mobile
devices in a way that would allow us to better connect with them.

9. SMARTPHONE IS OUR SWISS ARMY KNIFE
The ultimate convergence of devices
because of apps
“Always with you”

10. LET’S TALK ABOUT…
HOW MOBILE APPS* CAN BE USED FOR
SALES AND BRANDING
*4 out of every 5 mobile minutes are spent on apps (vs. a mobile browser)

11. WHAT MAKES A GREAT MOBILE APP?

12. A STRAW POLL

13. RESULTS: APPS ON PHONE
On average The Most
50 200
*Nielsen did a survey in the US and found that most people had about 41 apps on their phone

14. RESULTS: APPS ACTUALY USE WEEKLY
On average
8
That’s 16%. Which means that there are a lot of apps that people don’t use.
In fact, only 26% of smartphone users use an app more than 10 times.

15. UNSURPISING RESULTS: TOP USED APP
No surprise: Social/communication apps used the most often and on a daily basis

16. A CLOSE THIRD
Mobile users also want something fun to entertain them, especially during their “me time” which
makes up of 46% of their total time spent on their mobile devices

17. WHO REMEMBERS THIS?
This reminds us that a mobile app needs to achieve two goals:
Interesting enough to get downloaded (Gimmicks are fun)
Useful enough to ensure they use it over again and again (Helps me solve a problem)

18. BRANDED APPS USED
A variety of utility apps that help consumers solve a problem or save time

19. GREAT MOBILE APPS HAVE:
Brand
Brand Utility
Experiences
“Make my life
“Entertain me”
easier”
Time Savers Brighten My
Day With Fun

20. THREE RULES WHEN MAKING APPS

21. RULE 1: DON’T USE TECH FOR TECH SAKE

22. START WITH THE CONSUMER
Brand
Consumer purpose / Technology
Need Business Solution
Objective
Killer
App

23. RULE 2:
NO ONE KNOWS, NO ONE DOWNLOADS
Paid
Media
Earned
Media
Owned
Media
App
Launch
* Study by Deloitte show that 80% of branded mobile apps have been downloaded less than 1,000 times
One of the top reasons cited was because they were not promoted well

24. RULE 3: KEEP THEM COMING BACK
Standard Chartered Bank: The Good Life App

25. SOME BRANDS THAT HAVE DONE IT WELL

26. NIKE PLUS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=BSWeAUA4uVk

27. UNIQLO WAKE UP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=9kQCeAxe_aI

28. WESTPAC IMPULSE SAVER
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=M9v9HpR4qTU

29. IN STORE: MEAT PACK HIJACK
http://vimeo.com/44351185

30. REMEMBER: BAD APPS HURT BRANDS
* 69% of users will develop a negative impression for a brand if their app is not useful or easy to use

31. MAKING A GREAT APP
• Planning & Insights
– Define objectives
– Know your customers
• Hybrid vs. Web vs. Native
• User Interface
• Adapt to a users needs
• Monetization

32. MONETIZATION:
OREO TWIST LICK DUNK
* Oreo developed a mobile game that mimicked the brand behavior in which people consume Oreos
(Twist, Lick, Dunk). The game contains in-app purchases as well as mobile ads which provide additional
monetization opportunities to Oreo. It has had over 2 million downloads in just a few months and
generated over US$50,000 in ad revenue

33. IN SUMMARY…
1. Objective, strategy then tactics
2. Make your app great
3. Build to live, not to die

34. THINK 365, NOT 360
Mobile apps provide businesses the unique opportunity to be omnipresent in a
consumer’s life everywhere he/she goes, every single day, providing we give
them a reason to allow us in their lives
Unlike traditional communications where we try to surround consumers with
360 degree advertising at every touch point, mobile apps allow us to give our
customers a reason to love our brand 365 days a year.

35. Thanks!
vincent.teo@proximity.com.sg
@intersphere
http://themobileworkblog.com/
http://digitallabblog.com/
Content on this document is licensed under Creative commons attribution 3.0 license
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/