When Promised a Reward, Young Consumers Are More Willing to Accept Mobile Marketing
When they know they will get a reward, young consumers are more willing to provide personal information in order to engage in mobile marketing campaigns, a study in the Journal of Interactive Marketing shows. Young consumers become more and more concerned about personal privacy regarding mobile phone marketing, but this study shows that rewards like incentives and discounts can stimulate them to accept the privacy risks and therefore also accept the marketing campaign. Although the study is 3 years old and focuses on text messaging, the findings are still extremely relevant for today’s mobile marketing campaigns.
Take aways
- Give young consumers rewards like incentives and discounts that stimulate their acceptance of the privacy risks.
- Make sure the campaign is personalized and tailor-made, with content, features, and applications that suit young consumers' individual needs.
Study information
The question?
Which factors affect consumers’ acceptance of mobile marketing across two global markets?
Who?
- US survey: 169 undergraduate and graduate students at a large university in the Northeast; 49,7% men and 50,3% women (range 18-35 years, 69,8% between 18 and 24 years old).
- Pakistan survey: 215 students at universities in Lahore and Islamabad; 62,9% men and 37,1% women (range 18-35 years, 93,9% between 18 and 24 years old).Where?
US (Northeast) and Pakistan (Lahore and Islamabad).
How?
The students answered 70 questions about mobile marketing campaigns and giving personal information. These questions were formulated with the help of three outside executives familiar with mobile marketing practice. The US students also distributed the questionnaires to their own social networks.
Facts and findings
- Students who were more likely to provide personal information (give their e-mail address or register) and to download content (ringtones or games) via their mobile phones, were also more willing to accept mobile marketing.
- Students who were more willing to engage in mobile marketing (receive information, offers or solicitations) for something in return , were also more willing to provide personal information and to download content.
- Remarkable fact: Although established (US) and emerging (Pakistan) markets differ in their economic and cultural development, this study showed a lot of similarities in the youths’ mobile marketing acceptance.