Mobile Device Uptake Doesn't Mean They Read Your Stuff

Here's an interesting thought - don't assume that because nearly everyone has, or uses, a mobile device that your email has a greater pick-up rate.

Even the fact that 45% of the smartphones shipped in the year 2014 will be priced below $200 doesn't necessarily equate to email being opened.

According to a quick survey undertaken by Marketing Sherpa, only 2% of marketers find mass adoption of mobile email interaction among their customers.

Worryingly, a third of respondents didn't know whether they clicked through on email offers or not?!

However, you have a better chance of having it read if you adhere to the principles of responsive web design.

GraphicMail’s Nicholas Eckert, in a PR Web article, says "As email readership continues its migration towards mobile devices, responsive design becomes even more important to mobile and email marketers"

And it is what your email contains that makes people want to open it and read it.

Overt sales-pitches will be left unopened; refocus your communications so that they become education-based emails.  If you give recipients something they actually want to read and learn about that you will succeed.  If you don't, the result will be immediately obvious.

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Stop The Spread Of Vacationitis

The Hilton and The Onion; hardly a marriage made in heaven one would think, but based on this innovative campaign one would be wrong.

Onion's creative arm, Onion Labs have partnered with the hotel company to produce a web site that encourages a worker to diagnose their ills and recommends vacations as a 'prescription'.

The Urgent Vacation Centre also features the 14 symptoms of Vacationitis and a plea to stop the spread of this malignant disease.

I can particularly emphasise with the malady 'Acute Retinal Monitoritis' !  The viewer has the ability to download a large or small version of each symptom for their office cubicle or share same through social media.

Yellow Post-It Fever doesn't look too pleasant either.

According to the New York Times, more than a third of the business of Hilton Hotels and Resorts is generated by leisure travelers.  The new campaign is directed at them, said Andrew Flack, vice president for global brand marketing.

“We are particularly targeting working professionals. It’s becoming harder and harder to switch off work, harder for people to think about and plan vacations. This time of year is popular for people to plan vacation travel. When they come through Christmas, they think ahead for the year, think about where they might go.”

It all goes to prove that when it comes to advertising a little humour goes a long way; in this case hopefully a long way away from a cluttered desk and a frenetic office.