This was the second year in a row when Ramadan happened during the pandemic. In the context of two big economies of the region, Malaysia and Indonesia, did it have any impact on eCommerce patterns?
Ramadan has always been one of the most significant shopping periods in Indonesia and Malaysia as citizens look to stock up on new apparel, groceries for cooking and gifts for friends and family. The pandemic and the rise of e-commerce has had a very noticeable impact on shopping habits during this time.
Our “Building Resilient Brands: Gearing up for Ramadan 2021” report found that the number of Indonesians that planned to make purchases only during the month of Ramadan rose dramatically – 79% compared to 33% in 2020. The shift in Malaysia was equally significant at 75% compared to 25% in 2020.
This translates to more impulsive shopping, as shoppers would previously plan their purchases in advance – but in 2021, over half of respondents in both countries had yet to decide on their purchases by March even though Ramadan would begin in April.
Mobile emerged as the top preferred buying channel for Ramadan by far, with 63% of respondents in Indonesia and 70% of respondents in Malaysia relying on mobile for Ramadan shopping. More than half of the respondents in each country discovered festive seasons and sales for Ramadan on their smartphones.
Based on this information, we may see businesses beginning to launch festive promotions earlier and advertising them on mobile platforms to capture greater share from a mobile-centric market that has yet to set their purchases in stone. It is an increasingly saturated space and brands will need to ensure that their marketing and promotions are targeted towards the correct audiences to stay competitive.
How does InMobi help businesses with its Martech offerings?
InMobi drives real connections between brands and consumers through its exclusive access to mobile intelligence and technology platforms. We help advertisers drive relevant and personalised advertising at scale to smartphone users using the power of technology, data, and platforms.
Our services are designed to focus on three core aspects of the marketing and advertising journey:
- Understand
- We help brands accelerate their data-to-insights journey and make faster, more accurate decisions through InMobi Pulse, our mobile consumer intelligence platform. With access to over 1.6 billion unique mobile users across the globe, InMobi Pulse supports brands in gathering consumer intelligence at scale through its mobile-first, AI-powered and secure and privacy-compliant technology. It also powers consumer intelligence for market research, customer experience, marketing, and advertising professionals.
- Identify
- We support brands in identifying their target audience in the connected world and enabling more effective marketing – be it in terms of reach, engagement or transactions. InMobi Audiences harnesses extensive data sets to provide a holistic view of the customer for brands. Brands can use these unique, always-on segments to engage and activate prospects and customers in the mobile universe with deeper context and greater personalisation.
- Engage & Acquire
- InMobi Exchange helps brands reach, engage and acquire connected consumers programmatically. Brands can access high-quality premium, brand-safe supply through Open Exchange or Private Marketplace, and the platform also enables brands to run effective campaigns that yield real ROI. The Exchange is integrated with all leading DSPs and header bidding platforms across the globe.
- Additionally, the InMobi DSP is the world’s first in-app programmatic platform that guarantees transparency and ROI. Brands can leverage the platform to manage and drive both branding and performance objectives more effectively. The InMobi DSP is plugged into all the leading exchanges across the globe.
What is your top advice to CMOs in these fast-changing times?
There is no doubt that 2020 has been a tremendous inflection point for the global community. The endless ‘new normal’ refrain is not just a buzzword, but a truth; even though some aspects of life may return to what they were pre-pandemic, many emerging trends are here to stay. But marketers can take comfort in the fact that true innovation and excellence often comes in the face of adversity.
We are seeing that mobile has truly emerged as a critical platform for connection during the pandemic, and this is significant for marketers. It is the one true channel that can drive full-funnel efficiencies from awareness to conversions. Gauging consumer sentiments, identifying the right cohorts, creating interesting custom experiences and nudging consumers down the funnel with remarketing can – and should – be done on mobile platforms, which is why it is imperative for brands to prioritise developing their mobile marketing strategy.
Mobile marketing is a newer, less traditional advertising platform, but brands can no longer afford a wait-and-see approach. Major players in retail, finance, education and FMCG are already investing heavily in mobile and exploring different solutions such as going direct-to-consumer, embracing online-to-offline experiences, leveraging first-party data at scale or creating custom cross-device strategies. First movers have a significant advantage.
There is a mobile solution for every brand and by partnering with experts, brands can ensure that they are maximising the potential of mobile advertising and build meaningful, lasting relationships with consumers. So marketers need to be confident in embracing what is just the next evolution of their industry and explore how they can best position their brand on this platform. Change is always daunting, but a challenge well understood is a challenge half solved.
