The physical and virtual worlds seem to be merging in the field of marketing too. On 5 November the members of Trade Marketing Club met to discuss the pros and cons of mobile apps in marketing communication.

Trade magazin editor-in-chief Zsuzsanna Hermann welcomed the participants and gave the floor to Judit Hajdú and Tamás Balogh from Amarone Kft. The two experts shed light on why it is worth using mobile apps in combination with traditional marketing campaigns. They told that 39 percent of Hungary’s population use smartphones but among internet users this proportion is 67 percent. 73 percent of smartphones use Android operating system, 16 percent are iOS phones and 7 percent are Windows phones. We check our phone 150-200 times and use it 90 minutes a day. Developing a mobile app can only be successful if everything is planned in minute detail in advance. The apps of competitors also have to be examined, in order to learn from their mistakes and to make sure that our app will give consumers something different. A mobile app takes 3-4 months to develop and if we decide to give it a go, the next step is preparing a so-called workflow, modelling how consumers will use our app. The app has to be easy to use and reliable. When it is launched, we have to keep monitoring it and update the functions so that users stay active. One of the most important functions is measurability. Consumers use 60-80 apps in their daily life – the goal for our app is to become one of these. Preston’s Attila Geyer tried to answer the question: Why develop and use mobile apps? One of the answers is rapid and efficient information providing, as it is faster and easier for consumers to use an app than to visit a website for a campaign. Another answer is that with the new digital devices consumers can be convinced to participate in interactions, which can make them loyal to a brand or promotion. Before developing an app, it is very important to clarify whether we want to reach a few thousand or a million people, whether we want people to use it for a few days or for years? Kornél Huber from Open Media spoke about the key role digital devices play in trade marketing today. He called attention to the growing importance of Youtube channels, where through the opinion leaders of the young generation many consumers can be reached. Reon Digital managing director Zsolt Heimberger brought examples of well-working mobile apps, talking about the functions which can make them successful. He told that with the use of QR codes not only a large number of consumers can be reached quickly and efficiently, but a database can be built as well. Data protection expert Dr Krisztián Bölcskei from Kustos law firm was the last speaker. He talked about the legal aspects of mobile apps and data protection, and explained in detail what legal requirements the developers of smartphone apps must meet. He used the examples of a medical app and a GPS navigation system to illustrate what kind of data must be provided if one wishes to download or use an app, and what happens later to data provided this way. He stressed that mobile app development must be reported to the National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (NAIH).