Apps are a hot topic for marketers, fuelled by the growth of the iPhone and Apple’s classically smug – and now banned – app-led advertising campaign.
As a result there is much debate about the worth of apps to brands and whether they should aim to entertain or actually provide some lasting value.
There’s now sufficient marketing budget being directed at apps to fund the emergence of specialist agencies (one US specialist grandly promises to help brands focus “on contextually-relevant targeted media and integrated sponsorship programs that encourage consumer engagement with brands” Mmm!)
However, beneath the hype there’s a genuine opportunity for brands. In a rapidly developing digital culture, apps that offer genuine value (whether that’s a useful tool or a short-lived prank for the office joker) are finding their way into people’s pockets.
With this much-prized goal up for grabs the battle of branded apps is likely to be fiercely contested. All it takes is the right idea.