Mobile marketing

Issue 46 / May 2012

There have been many changes in the ten years that I’ve been working at the Arts Marketing Association. It was joked to me once (a long time ago) that the first rule of marketing was to ‘stick it on coloured paper’ but among other things we are now deciding which ‘app’, ‘platform’, ‘mobile device’, ‘channel’ to use to engage and interact with our audiences. Our worlds have expanded rapidly and the opportunities are vast. I wonder where we will be with it all in the next ten years – will we still be Tweeting? Will my mum have got the hang of Facebook? What will our mobile devices look like and how will we be using them?

In this issue’s Research round-up, Heather Maitland presents some research and statistics confirming that mobile usage is on the increase … and at a rapid pace (page 4). Loic Tallon talked to me about creating a great mobile experience for museum and gallery visitors and discussed Pocket-Proof’s annual international survey into what organisations are doing with mobile. Turn to page 6 for In conversation ….

Amy Clarke urges us not to neglect but to love and nurture our email marketing and to get us excited about it again she gives us some great hints and tips from the Royal Shakespeare Company (page 8). The AMA’s mentoring scheme has been in place longer than I’ve worked at the AMA and Kate Whitlock writes about the mentoring process and the success of the AMA’s long-running scheme backed up with some fantastic feedback (page 10). Roger Tomlinson takes a look at how arts marketing crosses a line on social media, Facebook and smartphones into the real lives of people (page 12) and Jim Richardson asks us to consider whether we need apps or if website optimisation should be our top priority (page 14).

Drawing on his work with arts organisations, Chris Unitt takes a look at some figures for mobile website traffic on page 16 while Vicky Lee writes about the popular Museum of London app; Streetmuseum on page 18. Allegra Burnette discusses integrating mobile into the communications mix at MoMA to reach out to new audiences and deeper engage them with their work (page 21).

On page 15 we get to know Amanda Lightstone, Marketing and Development Manager at Saffron Screen while Anny Deery reveals her five favourite apps for this and that on page 20. Spotlight (below) takes a look at the life and loves of Ali Gannagé-Stewart, AMA events and services assistant.

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