Back in 2002, when mobile communications over here were still something of a pipe dream, the guys at Ogilvy launched their “God” campaign in Singapore targeting potential and lapsed church-goers.

My mobile phone is very personal to me and proof of this is that I’ll rarely answer a phone call from a number that is not saved on it. The reason is simple: If you’re not important enough for me to have your number saved on my phone, you shouldn’t be calling on it.

[Just as I type this, a call from an unknown number, tough luck]

Needless to say I will not often sign up for mobile campaigns unless it adds substantial value to my personal or professional life. So Ogilvy ensured that the strategy behind the campaign was well planned and the execution and timing thereof just as precise.

Religion, being one of those sensitive issues, has the potential to blow up in a marketers face, especially when it comes to speaking with “The Big Guy”. This is where I believe Ogilvy has struck gold.

They have created an awareness campaign at 150 churches in Singapore inviting church goers to refer a friend’s mobile number to receive messages from “God”. These friends were then text to confirm their subscriptions. (no spamming)

“God” will then send clever and witty programmed text messages on carefully planned times to establish a more personal relationship between Himself and his people in a fun manner. This also served to get people more involved in the church and in their daily interactions with God.

Since 2002 technology has advanced substantially though and these days images, videos and audio are sent across mobile phones with just as apparent ease as text messages are.

This coming Christmas of course, while many businesses scuffle around to get everything done, don’t you think having the ability to add a personal touch to your professional relationship with your clients would go a long way in maintaining that relationship over the silly season?

Moreover, once you have gained access to their personal communications device, you have opened up a brand new avenue of adding value to your services offering.

It is refreshing to once in a while write about innovation happening right here in this country. I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that the source of this post comes from a blogger in the US but equally happy that I have his feed in my reader.

“When I visited Zimbabwe last year I actually experienced the long lines to the cash machines when cash was given out in big stacks simply because printed money had almost no value. (Inflation was 15,000 percent during the MONTH of October 2007. Our Western inflation rates are in the 5 percent range, annually. Yes, that is not a typo, it was 15 THOUSAND percent inflation in just one month…)”

Shocking statistics that proves that internet and television are too expensive for majority of households. Add to that, with Zimbabwe’s state of government, there is also no free press.

One can then see the value that the Zimbabwe populace places on radio.

An innovative radio station in South Africa named SW Radio Africa, calling itself the “Independent voice of Zimbabwe”, broadcasts news to the neighbouring country.

With their government being true to its nature, they have decided to censor this radio station as well and thus blocking the news source from South Africa to Zimbabwe.

Most businesses will take this lying down, but SW Radio Africa conjured up the AIB award for Most Creative Marketing Concept by enabling Zimbabwean citizens to sign up for sms news headlines on their mobile phones, free of charge.

They have over 8000 current subscribers and are adding new 100 users on a daily basis. Practical and efficient use of technology to circumvent a government that is as poor as its country.

Because of the free service however, sponsorships are needed to keep the campaign going. I would like to urge everyone reading this to consider helping with sponsorships.

It is time we face the reality of the opportunities mobile presents if taking into consideration that in 2004, there were 3.5m internet users compared to 18.7m mobile in South Africa alone.

I’m going to spill some grey matter onto this blog post and illustrate the birth of creative marketing strategies.

I’m going to use three random industries as chosen by my colleagues. The first industry will serve as my client, while the other two will serve as collaborating partners to drive the campaign.

At this very moment, I have no idea what these industries are. Within a couple of minutes, I’ll have a list of three which is the foundation for the blog post.

I will then have 1 hour to devise a strategy that would pay reasonable ROI to industry number 1 and profit margins for the other two industries as well. Of course the glue that holds this piece together is mobile marketing.The time now is exactly 12:20pm.

Right, it’s 12:23 and the industries followed by the colleagues responsible for them are:

1. Building Industry: Riaan Jacobs - Operational Manager.
2. Golf: Werner Viljoen - Senior Creative Consultant.
2. Beauty Industry: Lisa de Lange – Accounts.

The clock starts….now. [Devising strategy and plan article]

Phew, it’s 13:11 and I’ve got some time to spare even. Starting with the post now.

Ok, so the team from BuildaHouse approached me for a campaign that could improve their relatively unknown brand and ultimately establish themselves as a competitor in the market currently dominated by De la Rey.

Their budget denies us the opportunity to advertise on television, radio and print, thus we are left with the internet and mobile.

What we suggested was to collaborate with a golf estate or course in the vicinity and schedule a 4-ball match up. To create a buzz around the event we’ll use some social media and cause marketing to evoke some interest. A Facebook group is initiated and the word spread through the principle of digital word of mouth, buzz marketing and 6 degrees of separation.

We’ve also let them create a quick inspiring video to serve as traction as well as to highlight the cause to which a percentage of the proceeds are donated. Since we’re in the building industry, we’ve decided to donate some of the money to a homeless charity for food and shelter.

The video will be published on the BuildaHome website, Youtube, Facebook and the company blog. Each of these visual attraction points, including the Facebook group will inspire people to send a text message to a short code to participate in the competition of which a percentage is donated to the cause.

BuildaHouse is to brand 1000 golf balls (bought or donated by the pro shop) as well as another 12 sets with a unique code on each of the ball (Four different codes representing a prize) and a grand prize for the winner of the 4-ball being played on the day.

12 winners from the sms competition will be selected, notified and invited for a quick photo shoot. These (branded) images will be loaded onto the website, the company Flickr page and the entire video of the event published on the Youtube page.

These 12 winners will make it to the 4-ball on the day. Four representatives of BuildaHome will accompany 3 of the winners each to compete for the ultimate prize. The goal is to not only win the competition, but to also beat the BuildaHome representative to stand a chance of winning the grand prize.

Golfing is predominantly a man’s game, so to reach a more gender equal audience we’ve been fortunate that BeautyBeU availed a group of their beautiful therapists to accompany us on this day. Each girl will of course represent BeautyBeU and will also use this day to promote skincare products that can be ordered via sms service, give away vouchers and a couple of hand massages for the golfers sweating away at the main prize.

The crowd at the day of the competition will have the opportunity to sms and win a selection of prizes ranging from golf ball sets (branded of course), a luxury treatment for him and her at BeautyBeU or a sponsored golf set.

The winner of the 4-ball will win the grand prize as sponsored by BuildaHome. The unique code (remember the code?) on the branded golf ball will be presented to one lucky sms winner. The code obviously reflecting one of the prizes set out in the beginning and this lucky winner will then accompany the winner of the 4-ball for the prize giving ceremony, photo shoot and the video which will once again be published on the internet.

Finally, BuildaHome has a database of mobile numbers which they can use to permission-market their products and services to.

And lastly, a percentage of all the money raised from the sms campaign, sales of beauty products, drinks and snacks etc are donated to the charity of choice.

Phew…It is now exactly 13:45. Time to publish.