Viewpoint: Marcio Chaer, managing director, Mobile Marketing Association Latin America

“Since a new middle class consumer segment of Brazilian society emerged (called the C class), it has become a new market for brands. But marketers need to invest in the development of new products and different ways of communication and advertisement to get to those consumers. Communication through mobile, smartphones and tablets is essential to engaging and building relationships with this audience.

Mobile communication should be an integral part of a brand’s marketing mix, especially if the brand’s goal is to talk to the new emerging class. Smartphones and tablets are no longer unreachable for the C class. According to research conducted by Brazilian publisher Editora Abril, 25% of C class consumers plan to purchase a smartphone in the next 12 months, and 27% plan to buy tablets.

The C class consumes the largest amount of mobile content, games and videos. With the ease of access and the low prices, many are making mobile devices their first screen. They don’t have computers at home or laptops, but connect with brands online and engage with social media through their handsets.

Although Brazil might lag behind in terms of harnessing mobile for relationship marketing, the demand is there and brands are beginning to wake up to the possibilities. Banks in Brazil, for example, are investing in mobile technology for transactions.

It is hard to imagine that mobile is still not being considered as part of the marketing mix by companies or media planning agencies. We have users consuming more mobile, but brands’ knowledge about how to put together mobile strategy and explore all of its possibilities does not fit actual consumer behaviour. Mobile marketing is going to explode when this gap closes.”