Key takeaways
- Westfield ran a centre-led SMS “text‑to‑win” campaign using the short-code “SPREE” and a $1,000 shopping‑spree prize to grow mobile subscribers quickly.
- Promotion used in‑store materials plus local radio and TV to drive awareness and signups.
- >6,000 new subscribers joined the contact list during the week‑long event and all five locations saw increased foot traffic and a responsive messaging list afterwards.
- Centre‑level coordination (management running the campaign for all tenants) amplified benefits for both the mall and individual retailers.
- Keep SMS simple: brief, memorable short‑codes and texts that get straight to the point drove participation.
Introduction
The impact of mobile marketing can’t be overstated. According to IDC, more people in the U.S. will access the Internet through a mobile device than through their PC by 2015. In this new series, Elite Email takes a look at highly successful campaigns to uncover their mobile marketing lessons. This week’s case study: How the right approach to SMS messages and retail promotion turned Westfield Malls into a mobile marketing leader.
Regardless of whether you live on the shores of Nova Scotia or reside in sunny northern California, it’s always a treat to spend an afternoon at the mall. For residents of the latter location, Westfield Malls is one of the premier destinations for just such a shopping excursion. However, staying on top of the retail world doesn’t come easy. For the guys in charge of this chain, connecting with customers was essential to the sustained success of the malls, so the decision to roll out a smart and effective SMS marketing campaign came pretty easy. If you’re interested in learning more about how this retail giant rode an outstanding series of texts to increased customer activity in the participating stores, take a moment to read on and find out how you can put these lessons to good use for your brand.
A Different Approach
One of the most intriguing facets of this case study is that unlike the other companies and brands we’ve profiled, this campaign came from the center’s management and not from particular stores within the mall. Instead of letting the shops renting stalls within the mall fend for themselves as far as promotional materials went, the executives of the Westfield Mall management team decided that what’s good for these particular outlets was good for the center as a whole. With this big picture outlook serving as the foundation of its mobile marketing campaign, the advertising team was ready to make some waves with an audience that couldn’t wait to connect via their mobile phones.
Breaking down the Promotion Particulars
To start, the Westfield Mall chain pushed hard to generate substantial gains within its subscriber database. Via in-store promotional material and external outreach programs – namely local radio broadcasts and TV spots – the northern California audience soon became well aware of the buzz going on down by the local mall. At the heart of the promotion was a “text-to-win” event.
For those willing to join the contact list and receive promotional materials, a chance at winning a $1000 shopping spree was the grand prize. The best part? Westfield Malls used the SMS short-code “SPREE” as the lynchpin of the campaign to keep things simple and memorable for those willing to join in on the fun.
Understanding the Impact of Great Text Messages
After the dust had settled and the shoppers came out to the mall in droves, the people in charge of this campaign had plenty to be happy about. First off, over 6,000 new individuals joined the contact list during the event. While that’s great on its own, understanding that all of this occurred within just a week, adds an entirely different and impressive perspective to the increased subscriber number.
Today, all five locations of Westfield Mall enjoy increased foot traffic and extended reach via a stable and highly responsive mobile messaging contact list. For mall management and independent retailers within these centers alike, it’s hard to call this campaign anything other than a resounding success.
Building Your Own Powerful Campaign
So what can your brand learn from the Westfield Mall campaign about connecting with customers via powerful marketed text messages? Above all else, having a smart plan matters when you’re setting up your advertising operations. By putting the greater good before individual promotion, the people in charge of this initiative were able to create a situation that benefited those renting space within the chain’s retail space. This in turn created increased business for the malls as a whole, which was definitely music to the ears of those operating the outlets.
As for the actual texts you send out, don’t be afraid to keep things simple. Too often brands worry about wowing the audience with long prose and witty banter. While there’s nothing wrong with keeping your messages engaging and informative, remember that people are more likely to participate if you make the process easy and straightforward. A memorable or brief short-code, as well as texts that get straight to the point, can help round out everything else you’ve learned and provide all the tools you need to build the perfect messages for your next mobile marketing campaign.
FAQ
Westfield combined in‑store promotional material with external outreach (local radio and TV) and ran a text‑to‑win promotion offering a $1,000 shopping spree. They used the memorable short‑code “SPREE” to simplify signups, which attracted over 6,000 new subscribers in one week.
The campaign was run by mall management rather than by individual stores. That centre‑led approach prioritized the greater good of the entire mall, creating benefits for both management and the outlets renting space.
They used the short‑code “SPREE.” The post highlights that a memorable, brief short‑code makes the signup process easy and straightforward, which helps increase participation.
The campaign added more than 6,000 new contacts to the mobile list within one week. Following the event, all five Westfield locations experienced increased foot traffic and gained extended reach via a stable, responsive messaging list.
Keep messages simple and to the point. Avoid long prose; use engaging but concise copy and a memorable short‑code to make participation easy.
A centre‑level campaign run by mall management is recommended rather than leaving each store to promote independently. This big‑picture outlook can create a situation that benefits tenants and the mall as a whole.
Westfield used in‑store promotional material and external outreach, specifically local radio broadcasts and TV spots, to make the audience aware of the text‑to‑win event.
