IMMAP (Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines) – Who are they?
IMMAP Website – You can check online marketing related events and activities here! :)
Filipinos are quick to assimilate change, technology-included. In an age when people are always connected one way or the other, there is no other way for internet and mobile marketing to go but up. The Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP) is a group of industry movers who have banded together with the goal of propelling the practice of internet and mobile marketing in the Philippines to growth.
Despite our being known as voracious social media and mobile services users, many marketers have not yet caught on to the rapid IM growth rates in the US and in Europe. Companies and advertisers have not made full use of available technology in their marketing and advertising initiatives.
Although traditional advertising in tri-media seem to be dated, marketing and advertising statistics still show that it still takes a large share of companies’ budgets. Internet and mobile marketing and advertising account for only a thin slice of the pie. On the cost side, this can be attributed to the lower cost of internet and mobile advertising.
What would cost millions to achieve in traditional advertising would perhaps only cost several tens of thousands of pesos to do in internet and mobile advertising. With operating budgets getting smaller and smaller due to economic challenges, lower cost but highly effective internet and mobile marketing and advertising campaigns should be the recourse of many companies.
The growth of IM in the Philippines would depend on how the local marketers and advertisers support it as a more viable means of reaching their target customers. Many of our technology experts are being utilized by foreign customers in their own IM campaigns. There is no reason why local companies cannot make use of our own technical brains and talents. IMMAP has taken initiative to put together its own plan of action to get things rolling at a much faster pace in the Philippine IM industry.
If there are two reasons why local companies should rethink their strategic marketing plans to include internet and mobile marketing campaigns, they are reach and cost. Read on about how these factors make IM worthy of being considered as an advertising and marketing medium:
1. IM is more accessible – the internet and the mobile phone are anytime anywhere media. Companies can reach their customers wherever they are. Customers young and old are exposed to online and mobile media and are more likely to see online advertising messages than hear radio jingles or watch television commercials. Depending on the company’s target market, some segments do not even watch local channels anymore since they can choose to watch their shows on ad-free cable channels or on-demand online television.
2. IM is more cost-effective – the cost of internet and mobile marketing and advertising is considerably less than traditional advertising. Plus, companies do not have to hire advertising agencies and a whole crew of talents to spend days shooting or dubbing their ad materials. IM collaterals can be churned out quickly and released in a timelier manner. They do not even have to be complicated. An interesting yet concise SMS message that evokes the desired response is more powerful than any 30-second plug ran over and over on the teleserye primetime slots when people are busy dabbing tears from their eyes or fuming at how the contrabida is ever so evil.
