Mobile advertising specialists Millennial Media were recently hired by outdoor clothing and equipment retailers The North Face to help them shift their marketing campaigns away from traditional channels and focus on a more digital approach, focusing specifically on mobile content. This major mobile marketing push, which was undertaken at the cusp the winter, has seen a significant reported increase in European digital engagement.
The aim going forward for the brand, is to explore more tools and platforms which cater specifically to the mobile world
The brand's 'Mountains are Calling' ad, was a huge hit for the company, with the elegantly shot, 30 second clip (which is targeted primarily towards 18-34-year-old males) racking up over 3 million views on YouTube. The ad saw internet-based engagement grow on local sites by 8.5% in Italy (more than 114,000 views) and 9.5% in Germany (more than 319,000 views). It was also reported that almost a third of viewers decided to watch the video a second time, despite the option to skip the ad entirely after a few seconds. The full-screen, interactive video appeared during breaks between publisher and app content and made use of Millennial Media's very own Video Plus ad unit.
The North Face were especially pleased with how the campaign underlined the significant influence that mobile marketing has in both mainstream niche markets now that internet enabled smartphones and tablets are even more ubiquitous than traditional laptops and desktop computers. The aim going forward for the brand, is to explore more tools and platforms which cater specifically to the mobile world, a world they hope Millennial Media can help them blend into effortlessly.
Junior digital marketing manager for The North Face Alessander Argenti, said that the success of the 'Mountains are Calling' campaign “Signalled an important shift in our approach to mobile and digital marketing, which is being applied to the UK and other European markets.” He said that the company has been subtly moving away from the marketing channels they have grown accustomed to, instead choosing to “Embrace the world of digital and mobile marketing.”
There is a greater demand for richer video content on mobile devices
Zac Pinkham, the managing director of Millennial Media for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, believes that his firm has been perfectly placed to provide the content that The North Face requires. He said that there is a greater demand for richer video content on mobile devices, thanks to “Faster connections via 4G devices and increasingly savvy users looking for evermore interactive experiences.” He feels that this makes mobile marketing, and mobile video in particular “A powerful branding tool.”
Millennial Media are no strangers in helping established brands brach into mobile marketing . They have created bespoke mobile specific content for numerous world renowned brands such as 'Levis', 'Samsung', 'Microsoft', 'McDonalds' and 'Toyota' amongst others. Every job they take is seen as a challenge to 'raise the bar' for mobile rich media, leveraging native mobile device utilities such as camera, voice commands, vibrations and gyroscopic controls to create unique, mobile interactions.
The 'Mountains are Calling' campaign was part of the global ‘Never Stop Exploring’ campaign, the next stage of which has been tentatively titled 'Longer Days Are Back’, and will be launching in the UK and Europe next month.
Official Millennial Media Website
Official The North Face Website
Benjamin Hiorns is a copywriter from Kidderminster who buys the lion's share of his camping gear for The North Face. He's not much of a mountaineer, but is a regular at the odd musical festival during the Summer months.
