July 29, 2020
Mobile remains the fastest growing channel despite budgets being impacted by COVID-19 crisis
The State of the Industry: Mobile Marketing in EMEA 2020
29 July 2020 – Mobile budgets are being impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, but mobile remains the fastest growing channel, with nearly all marketing professionals (94%) considering mobile advertising as effective.
These are some of the findings included in the State of the Industry: Mobile Marketing in EMEA 2020, an annual report released today and available to MMA members, providing a current snapshot into how brands, agencies, media owners and tech vendors see the impact of mobile – its use as a tool for advertising effectively, as well as opportunities and concerns, particularly following the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report is based on a survey of 596 marketing professionals across 26 markets in EMEA carried out in April and May 2020 by WARC, the global authority on marketing effectiveness, on behalf of the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), the world’s leading global non-profit trade association.
The report highlights the following key insights in EMEA:
- Mobile budgets are impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, but mobile remains the fastest growing channel
Half (49%) of marketing professionals, up from 40% in 2019, are allocating more than 25% of their budget to mobile. WARC adspend data show it is the fastest growing media and the biggest driver of internet growth.
However, COVID-19 has inevitably had an impact on budgets. Prior to the outbreak, 66% were expecting their mobile budgets to rise over the next year. Now, only 39% feel the same.
- Mobile video will be key for 2020 and beyond
On average, 50% of mobile budgets are being allocated to mobile video, which will be a key focus for the largest proportion of marketing professionals.
The growth in consumption of mobile video is seen by respondents as the most significant consumer behaviour impacting marketing for 2020. The rise of apps like TikTok and Quibi will be substantial over the next 12 months.
- Marketers are creating mobile-specific content to drive engagement
Three quarters of respondents are considering ad length and design when creating content for mobile, and the growth of e-commerce has driven developments in mobile- based branded content and shoppable ads.
Advertising via mobile gaming is also expected to grow as 5G advances present a leap in performance.
By 2025, 48% of marketing professionals expect mobile-based branded content to be their main focus.
- Programmatic trade drives mobile display advertising strength
Mobile display advertising is used in a quarter of campaigns and is the biggest 2020 focus for 47% of marketing professionals.
These results reflect the growth in mobile display advertising that has been fueled by the boom in programmatic trade. Paid search and mobile display now account for almost all of the global mobile ad investment, and respondents to this survey said they were using mobile display in a quarter of all their campaigns.
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Nearly all marketers (94%) see mobile devices as effective
Overall, mobile marketing has consistently been seen as effective over the past five years, with the increasing investment in the channel reflecting this confidence.
And though the COVID-19 outbreak has reduced budgets, the initial signs are that mobile advertising has been less affected than desktop advertising, with marketers seeing higher levels of effectiveness on mobile due to increasing usage.
73% of respondents use engagement metrics to measure mobile effectiveness.
Chris Babayode, Managing Director, MMA EMEA, commented: “This is our fifth year in publishing this report that is designed to give comprehensive insights and guidance for marketers, agencies, and media owners alike with data to benchmark their clients and peers, gain guidance on marketing and mobile trends, and identify future challenges and opportunities, especially based on this most unusual year.”
The full report is available to WARC subscribers and MMA members. Similar reports will be released shortly for APAC and later in the year for the UK, Turkey, Spain, South Africa and MENA.
Summing up, Amy Rodgers, Managing Editor Research & Rankings, WARC, commented: “The findings of this year’s survey reveal that despite reduced budgets bought on by COVID-19, mobile marketing remains the fastest growing channel providing opportunities, such as mobile video, e-commerce and gaming, for brands to effectively engage with consumers.”
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For further information, please contact:
Chris Babayode
MD MMA EMEA [email protected]
Amanda Benfell
Head of PR & Press| [email protected] | +44 (0) 20 7467 8125
WARC
33 Kingsway London WC2B 6UF www.warc.com
Mobile Marketing Association (MMA)
At the MMA, we believe the best way to thrive —and the only way to survive — is to capture this zeitgeist NOW by aggressively adopting proven, peer-driven and scientific best practices, without compromise. In all that we do, we are committed to bringing the right people together to challenge the status quo and provide a path forward.
We invest millions of dollars in rigorous research to arm marketers with unassailable truths and actionable tools.
The MMA is the world’s leading global non-profit trade association composed of more than 800 member companies, from nearly fifty countries around the world. Our members hail from every faction of the mobile marketing ecosystem including brand marketers, agencies, mobile technology platforms, media companies, operators and others.
The interaction between consumers and brands has been forever changed by the revolution that was kicked off by mobile – marketing is now closer, personal, powerful and pervasive. We have a once-in-an-era transformation in the relationship between marketers and their customers.
This marketing and communications insurgency we have all experienced is about to further explode with the future of 5G, AI, and other emerging technologies. The MMA, led by marketers, leads this imperative for marketing change – in ways that shape the future and drive business growth today.
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For over 30 years WARC has been powering the marketing segment by providing rigorous and unbiased evidence, expertise and guidance to make marketers more effective. WARC services include 18,000+ case studies, 90,000+ best practice guides, research papers, special reports and advertising trend data, webinars, awards, events and advisory services; has 1,200+ client companies, 21,500+ active users in 100+ countries; collaborates with 50+ industry partners; has offices in the UK, US, China and Singapore. www.warc.com | www.ascential.com