Mobile opt-ins can be a positive thing for brands, argues Laura Desmond | M&M Global

Mobile opt-ins can be a positive thing for brands, argues Laura Desmond

Marketers must work harder to “stitch together” mobile experiences to succeed in the “mobile century”, according to Publicis Group’s chief revenue officer Laura Desmond.

Laura Desmond MWC

Speaking yesterday (23 February) at Mobile World Congress 2016 in Barcelona, Desmond – recently promoted from her role as CEO of Starcom Mediavest Group (SMG) – said marketing is going to have to disrupt itself “over and over” to cope with the level of change in mobile technology.

However, she said advertisers should be “hopeful” over the evidence suggesting that Millennial consumers are more likely to engage in brand stories and communications that are shareable.

Desmond also said that brands such as Airbnb – an SMG client – had proved that consumers are happy to opt into communications with advertisers, as long as there is a “positive” reason, as opposed to unwanted spam.

“We should start using opt-ins for good,” said Desmond. “We all know what opt-ins for bad look like. But that doesn’t mean that push notifications, if done well, can’t be a positive and add usefulness to a person’s life.

“If you have people that want to engage, people will accept the value exchange – and the value exchange is set up-front. We’re all going to have to act in that way to create a better experience in the mobile environment.

“We have to stitch it all together. Stop thinking about mobile experiences as a marketing or brand platform. The device at your fingertips is an ‘everything platform’.

“I don’t think it’s a crisis, I think it’s an opportunity for us all. We’re going to have be at our best to seize this. I would like to see us get there and go for it,” she added.

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