House of Fraser taps into youth market with its MMS campaign

The department store is working with mobile network Blyk, which gives its members free call minutes and texts every month in return for opting in to receive marketing messages to their phones.

The retailer said that the consumers targeted by the mobile advertising are a new key audience, and that it is the first time it has used this type of marketing medium to connect with potential customers.

It was attracted to the method of marketing as it is allowing it to connect to customers in the right place at the right time.

The campaign began last month, to promote the relaunch of House of Fraser’s Glasgow store, and will run until the end of October. Stores in London, Bristol and Manchester are also being promoted through the mobile campaign.

For instance, both male and female Blyk members living in Glasgow were invited to attend a party at the store to celebrate its relaunch and menswear ranges in September.

Discounts were offered on products on the night and the first 20 members who replied to the message won VIP tickets for the launch after-party.
All advertising messages are sent to members’ phones using picture messaging (MMS).

Blyk UK chief executive Shaun Gregory said that the network has more than 200,000 members scattered across the UK and averages a response rate of 25 per cent for the campaigns that it runs.