News / Press Releases

Marks & Mobile

Source: Mobile Marketing Magazine (03 December 2009)
http://www.mobilemarketingmagazine.co.uk

Marks & Spencer is launching a Wallace & Gromit-inspired mobile website gift service to help shoppers select and buy the right Christmas presents for themselves or their friends.

Developed, built and hosted by M&S's mobile agency Incentivated, the made-for-mobile site features a 'Wallace & Gromit Gift & Cheese Profiler', a wacky invention of Gromit's which asks shoppers questions of themselves and their friends. Depending on the answers, the profiler creates a 'cheese' profile (e.g. 'Ravishing Roquefort', 'Wild Wensleydale', 'Gorgeous Gouda'), and produces up to five suitable M&S gift suggestions, complete with prices and product codes.

The shopper can then forward their wishlist or suggestions to a friend via MMS (picture message) and a link to the personalised WAP site. The shopper also receives an email with deep-links to the M&S website where the gift(s) can be bought.

Visitors to the site can also download screensavers and wallpapers and 'vCalendar' mobile reminders, with last dates to buy gifts for delivery before Christmas, each depending on the destination and type of delivery. Data downloads for the site have been zero-rated by the networks, making browsing free to the user.

M&S is introducing the Wallace & Gromit Gift & Cheese profiler to existing customers via SMS, with embedded links to the mobile site, and is promoting the service with mobile banner advertising, direct mail print ads which will carry a text call to action, and via Twitter and Facebook.