Text Message Marketing Case Studies

Top 30 SMS Marketing Case Studies

Are you looking for a good mobile marketing case study? If so, you’re in luck! Below we’ve compiled 30 of the top mobile marketing case studies that we’ve ever seen, allowing you to spend less time searching and more time absorbing all of the good information that each one of these case studies provides.

So without further ado…

Looking for more inspiration, check out these SMS marketing examples.

 

#1 Seattle Sun Tan

SMS Marketing Advertising Example from Tanning Salon

Seattle Sun Tan, a 35-location tanning salon located on the west coast, used mobile marketing to send text message offers and discounts to their customers. In the first 30-days of their mobile marketing campaign, the tanning salon had 4,750 customers opt-in to receive text message offers, which then generated $196,000 in new sales from customers redeeming the initial offer. What’s even crazier is that customers that redeemed the initial mobile offer spent 500% more than regular customers. See the full case study here. Pretty good first mobile marketing case study if you ask me!

 

#2 TAO Nightclub

TAO Nightclub Mobile Marketing Case Study

TAO Nightclub, a 10,000 square-foot nightclub located in Las Vegas, sent out an exclusive text message offer to their 2,000 mobile subscribers the day of an event in hopes of increasing attendance. The text message offer generated an 11% redemption rate, which resulted in 220 additional attendees, and $1,770 in additional admission fees. The 220 additional attendees also purchased on averaged 2 drinks at $10 per drink, which totaled $4,400 of additional income at the bar. See the full case study here. Talk about a mobile marketing case study that would get any marketer dancing!

 

#3 Avenue Stores

Avenue Mobile Marketing Case Study

Avenue Stores, a specialty retailer with five-hundred stores that caters to women wearing apparel sizes 14 or larger, reported a 6,600% ROI from sending MMS coupons and promotional content each week to customers. The average open rate of the MMS campaign was 97%, and the subscriber database has continued to grow at a rate of 30% month over month. Looking for more retail mobile marketing case studies? See the full case study here. Don’t worry, there’s eight more retail mobile marketing case studies in this list.

 

#4 Carl’s Junior

Carl's Junior Mobile Marketing Case Study

Carl’s Jr., an American-based fast-food restaurant chain, with 1,369 locations worldwide, sent out a text message offer to customers on May 14, 2013. The text message offer was for a $6 burger combo for only $2.99. Not only did this text message offer get a 19% redemption rate, the fast-food chain generated $14 in new sales for every $1 they spent on this campaign. See the full case study here. Getting hungry for more restaurant mobile marketing case studies? You’re in luck as this list contains mobile marketing case studies from Taco Bell, Papa Murphy’s, Subway, Pizza Hut, Papa John’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, Texas Roadhouse and even Chuck E Cheese’s.

 

#5 Silverstone

Silverstone Motor Sports Mobile Marketing Case Study

Silverstone, a British motor racing circuit used mobile marketing to increase ticket sales for their upcoming Formula 1 British Grand Prix. Immediately following the finish of BBC’s highlights coverage of the Monaco Grand Prix, Silverstone sent an SMS message to their 45,000 person mobile database, all of which had expressed interest in attending future car events, or had previously purchased an F1 ticket.

The text message read “Enjoyed the Monaco Grand Prix? Get your tickets to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone now! http://bit.ly/12wYgh1 To opt out text STOP to 60070″. This one text message generated a return on investment (ROI) of 680% for Silverstone. See the full case study here.  We were only able to find one case study about motor racing, so if you’re looking for the perfect mobile marketing case study for motor racing, this would be the one!

 

#6 Kiehls

Kiehl's Mobile Marketing Case Study

Kiehl’s, an American cosmetics retailer with more than 250 retail stores worldwide, piloted a six month location based mobile marketing campaign. The retailer had customers sign up online, or on their mobile phones by texting “KIEHLS” to the SMS short code 25787, in order to receive up to three location based text offers each month.

After the six month pilot program, Kiehl’s found that 73% of the customers that had signed up for their SMS marketing campaign had made a purchase. In a survey sent out after the pilot mobile marketing program, 81% of respondents recalled receiving SMS marketing messages from Kiehl’s. See the full case study here. Keep reading, as this list has more retail mobile marketing case studies from brands such as National Wholesale Liquidators, Julep, Lifetouch Portrait Studios and Westfield Shopping Centers.

 

#7 Chuck E. Cheese’s

Chuck E Cheese's Mobile Marketing Case Study

Chuck E. Cheese’s, a chain of more than 500 sit-down pizza restaurants, utilized text messaging to grow their email marketing database. Customers in the restaurant were encouraged to join the restaurant’s email marketing program by text messaging their email address to the SMS short code 35505. This opt-in method now accounts for 5% of all new customer email addresses added to the restaurant’s email marketing database.

What’s even more astonishing is the fact that customers that opt-in to the restaurant’s email marketing program through text messaging, open the restaurant’s emails 10-20 percent more than customers that opt-in through other methods, in addition to the fact that they click on coupons within those emails 8-10 percent more. See the full case study here. If you came for a restaurant mobile marketing case study that leveraged email marketing, Chuck E Cheese’s is going to be your best bet on this list.

 

#8 RedBox

Redbox Mobile Marketing Case Study

Redbox, a company that places kiosks renting DVDs, Blu-ray Discs, and video games in over 42,000 locations, ran an extremely successful ten day mobile marketing campaign. The company had customers text DEALS to 727272 on each one of the ten days for a chance to save between 10 cents and $1.50 on their next rental. To advertise the mobile promotion, which was called “10 Days of Deals”, Redbox shared it on Facebook to their more than 3 million fans, sent an email to their 30+ million email subscribers, in addition to promoting it on the then 33,000 Redbox kiosks.

The results, over 400,00 customers participated in the SMS marketing promotion, generating over 1.5M SMS messages in just 10 days!  See the full case study here. When it comes to mobile marketing case studies on this list, this one from Redbox definitely takes the award at 10-days for the shortest campaign duration.

 

#9 Peta2

Peta Mobile Marketing Case Study

Peta2, a youth program within the Peta organization, an American non-profit animal rights organization with over three million members, launched a mobile marketing campaign at Warped Tour. The SMS campaign was created to promote peta2′s “Animals Don’t Smoke” initiative. Banners, T shirts and peta2 volunteers encouraged people to Win Free Stuff by texting “BUTT” to the SMS short code 73822, which entered participants to win a button, sunglasses or a bag at a peta2 booth.

Once opted-in, participants received an instant-win text message, that then encouraged them to reply with a comment urging the FDA to ban cigarette testing on animals. Well over 25,000 people opted-in to their mobile campaign at the event. See the full case study here. Looking for more non-profit mobile marketing case study? You’re in luck as there’s one more on this list from the Red Cross.

 

#10 National Wholesale Liquidators

National Wholesale Liquidators Mobile Marketing Case Study

National Wholesale Liquidators, a chain of 12 warehouse-style closeout discount stores, built an opt-in database of 50,000 customer’s mobile phone numbers. The retail store did this by offering $5 off any purchase over $25, but only after a customer had joined their mobile marketing campaign. This promotion was advertised in-store, online, and in the retail chain’s print advertising.

On average, customers that were part of the mobile marketing campaign spent 80% more at National Wholesale Liquidators than customers that we’re part of the campaign. See the full case study here. Excited for the next retail mobile marketing case study? It’s time to get really excited, as the next retail mobile marketing case study is from online retailer Julep.

 

#11 Texas RoadHouse

Texas Roadhouse Mobile Marketing Case Study

Texas Roadhouse, a western themed restaurant chain with 400 locations, ran a six month mobile marketing campaign pilot within 20 of their restaurant locations, branded as their “TextUs Loyalty Club”. To encourage customers to opt-in, Texas Roadhouse offered a free appetizer to new TextUs Loyalty Club members. This tactic is extremely popular with new text messaging campaigns, as 44% of customers are willing to provide personal information like their mobile phone number, in exchange for a reward, coupon or deal. The mobile marketing campaign generated an average 17% redemption rate during the pilot. See the full case study here. Are all of these restaurant mobile marketing case studies starting to make you hungry, or is it just me?

 

#12 Dunkin’ Donuts

Dunkin Donuts Mobile Marketing Case Study

Dunkin’ Donuts, a popular QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) ran a mobile marketing campaign in the Boston area, encouraging customers to opt-in to receive text message offers. The campaign was advertised on local radio and through mobile internet ads. This resulted in 7,500 consumers opting in to receive Dunkin’ Donuts text message offers. After the first text message offer, 17% of recipients forwarded or showed the text message promotion to a friend, 35% considered themselves more likely to buy lattes and coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts in the future, and Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in the Boston area experienced a 21% increase in store traffic. See the full case study here. Yep… After this QSR mobile marketing case study, I’m definitely hungry!

 

#13 Ford Motor Company

Ford Mobile Marketing Case Study

Ford Motor Company, in an effort to increase qualified leads for their new Taurus and Escape models, supplemented print advertising with a mobile call-to-action that read “For more information, text FORD to 63611”. When a consumer texted “FORD” to the SMS short code 63611, they were asked to respond with which car they were most interested in, their zip code and full name. This information was then sent to the Ford dealership nearest the consumer for a sales person to do a follow up with the potential buyer. This mobile marketing campaign generated an astonishing 15.4% conversion.  See the full case study here. Surprisingly this isn’t the only automotive mobile marketing case study on this list, there’s one more from a local dealership at #28.

 

#14 Julep

Julep Mobile Marketing Case Study

Julep, a leading online cosmetic company, wanted to build a database of customer’s mobile phone numbers to increase online sales by sending them text message offers that could be redeemed through their online store. To do this, Julep created an exciting initial text message offer, rewarding customers with 50% off their next nail polish purchase for joining their mobile marketing campaign. Julep leveraged their pre-existing email database of customers, and social media profiles to advertise their SMS campaign, which they called their “Julep Mobile Insider Club”.

Julep was able to build a mobile marketing database of more than 5,000 customers during the first 24 hours of their campaign, with the initial text message offer generating a 10.7% redemption rate. See the full case study here. When it comes to online retail mobile marketing case study, it really doesn’t get better than this one. More of a brick and mortar retail operation? Not to worry, the next retail case study at #16 is from Lifetouch Portrait Studios.

 

#15 Papa John’s

Papa John's Mobile Marketing Case Study

A Papa John’s Pizza franchise in the U.K. ran a three week mobile marketing campaign, sending a text message coupon offering any Pizza, of any size for £6.99 (pickup) or £8.99 (delivery) to 8,100 customers that had previously opted-in to the restaurants mobile marketing database. During the three week mobile marketing campaign, the franchisees overall sales increased by 33%. See the full case study here. Whoa… Did we just take you on a trip across the pond with this restaurant mobile marketing case study? Yep… You can thank us later.

#16 Lifetouch Portraits

Lifetouch Portrait Studios Mobile Marketing Case Study

Lifetouch Portrait Studios was able to increase opt-ins to their mobile marketing campaign by implementing a simple monetary incentive for consumers to opt-in. Instead of just asking consumers to opt-in, they offered a $5 discount on photography services after the consumer opted-in to the mobile marketing program, resulting in a 163% increase in consumer opt-ins. See the full case study here. Looking for a big retail mobile marketing case study? We’ve got you covered, as #26 comes to you courtesy of Westfield Shopping Malls, and you can’t get much bigger than an entire shopping mall!

 

#17 Pirq

Pirq Mobile Marketing Case Study

Pirq, a mobile app that helps consumers discover deals and rewards at their favorite local businesses, uses text messaging on traditional advertising such as billboards to make the app download process more simple for consumers. When a consumer texts “SHOP” to the SMS short code 33133 on their mobile phone, they’re sent a hyperlink to download the app. It’s here that Pirq has been able to generate a 92% click-through rate. See the full case study here. Oh hello app mobile marketing case study, great to meet you. Oh, there’s more of you below? AWESOME!

 

#18 Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut Mobile Marketing Case Study

Are you looking for a good mobile geofencing case study? If so, you’ll want to check out this case study from Pizza Hut U.K., where during a 15 month period, the pizza chain setup geofence locations within a half-mile radius of each of their 340 Pizza Hut locations. This means that when consumers were within a half-mile radius of a Pizza Hut in the U.K., they would receive an SMS promotion from the restaurant on their mobile phone.

During the 15 months Pizza Hut ran their mobile marketing campaign, they found it was on average 142 percent more efficient in increasing incremental sales than other marketing channels, and 4.4 times more effective than TV ads and 2.6 times more effective than online ads. See the full case study here. Still hungry for more restaurant mobile marketing campaigns? Don’t worry, you haven’t even seen yet what Subway, Papa Murphy’s and Taco Bell are bringing to the table below.

 

#19 Palms Resort & Casino

Palms Casino Resort Mobile Marketing Case Study

Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas ran a mobile marketing campaign in which they instructed people to text PALMS to the SMS short code 74642 to be entered for a chance to win a free one-night stay and dinner for two. After the contestants were entered into the text messaging contest, they were asked if they would like to receive future text message offers from the casino resort.

While the average text message contest can expect 37% of contest participants to agree to future mobile alerts from a brand, the Palms text message contest was able to convert 60% of contest participants into mobile subscribers. See the full case study here. Looking for more hotel & casino mobile marketing case studies? Unfortunately this is the only one of its kind on this list, so we’d suggest you check-in to this case study if you’re a hotel & casino marketer. See what we did there… “Check In”… Because you’re in the hotel & casino business! We’re witty aren’t we?

 

#20 Subway

Subway Mobile Marketing Case Study

A 16-store franchise of Subway restaurants in the New York region launched a mobile marketing campaign to increase repeat business with their customers. The program was promoted as “My Subway Mobile SMS”, and advertised in-store with various forms of marketing collateral, and on local radio and television programs.

After only a few months, the franchise had generated a database of 5,000 customer mobile phone numbers. During this period, the Subway franchise sent out 13,000 text messages, and averaged a 9% redemption rate, which was significantly higher than the 1% redemption rate they experience with their direct mail campaigns. See the full case study here. Fun fact, there’s more than a foot long worth of mobile marketing case studies still left on this list.

 

#21 Bulmers Irish Cider

Bulmers Cider Mobile Marketing Case Study

Bulmers Irish Cider ran a mobile marketing campaign in the U.K. over a four week period targeted at males between the ages of 18 and 34. The mobile marketing campaign triggered text messages to be sent to their target demographic when they were within a half-mile radius of more than 1,000 pubs that served their cider. The text message included a link to point the text message recipient in the direction of their next cider.

Over the four week period, 77,000 text messages were sent out, with 50 percent of the recipients clicking on the link in the text message. 53 percent of recipients surveyed after the campaign remembered receiving the SMS message from Bulmers. More importantly, 25 percent of recipients purchased a cider from the suggested pub, and 53 percent purchased a Bulmers from another pub recommended by the clicking on the link in the text message. Combined, that’s almost a 75 percent conversion rate. See the full case study here. This is the last time we take you across the pond to the U.K. for a mobile marketing case study, we swear!

 

#22 October Baby

October Baby Mobile Marketing Case Study

Provident Films, a unit of Sony Music Entertainment, launched a mobile marketing campaign as a way to engage fans on their mobile devices, in advance of the release of the movie “October Baby”. Fans were encouraged to text “OCTOBER” to the SMS short code 68398 in order to receive text message updates about the movie, free passes, etc. In the opt-in text message, a short hyperlink was included, which gave fans a sneak peek of the October Baby movie trailer on their mobile devices. The mobile marketing campaign was promoted to a pre-existing email database of fans, through channel partners, and on social media profiles including Facebook and Twitter.

Provident Films was able to build a mobile database of 50,000 fans before the opening weekend of the movie. They used this mobile database to drive increased attendance, resulting in a number eight spot at the box office on opening weekend, with the movie going on to become the number one limited-release movie of all time. The mobile campaign also generated an 11% click-through rate to watch the exclusive, mobile optimized version of the movie trailer. See the full case study here. You a big fan of movie & television mobile marketing case studies? If so, you’re in luck, as #23 is from the hit television show Pretty Little Liars!

 

#23 Pretty Little Liars

Pretty Little Liars Mobile Marketing Case Study

ABC’s Pretty Little Liars TV show used mobile marketing to engage the show’s most loyal fans during the season. The campaign was able to capture over 100,000 fan’s mobile phone numbers from an online signup form. After fans opted-in to receive these mobile alerts, they would receive MMS messages from the main character on the show and exclusive sneak peaks of the coming week’s episode. The mobile marketing campaign increased audience engagement by 20 percent for the season, in addition to helping them build a mobile database of fans phone numbers for future seasons. See the full case study here. Ok… Enough of movie & television mobile marketing case studies, lets get back to the food!

 

#24 Papa Murphy’s

Papa Murphy's Mobile Marketing Case Study

Papa Murphy’s, a pizza restaurant chain launched a mobile marketing campaign pilot with the goal being to bring more customers to their Kansas City locations. Papa Murphy’s used strategies like in-store signs, tent pop-ups, and an online opt-in form to build their mobile database, which by the end of the year had 16,000 customer mobile phone numbers.

Mobile offers like a $5 Chicken Bacon Artichoke pizza generated redemption rates of more than 9 percent, while deals like a $5.55 taco pizza on Cinco De Mayo generated redemption rates of 11.5 percent, and half-off pizzas generated redemption rates north of 12 percent. The highest redemption rates Papa Murphy’s saw with their mobile marketing campaign was with a $5, 3-topping pizza, which generated a 17.9 percent redemption rate. The mobile marketing campaign has since expanded across 26 other states, and is estimated to have more than 100,000 mobile subscribers. See the full case study here. Not a big fan of pizza? Maybe we’ll be able to tempt your taste buds with a little south of the border flavor that you’ll find in the next restaurant mobile marketing case study at #27.

 

#25 Six Flags

Six Flags Mobile Marketing Case Study

Six Flags, an amusement park located in Maryland launched a mobile marketing campaign to try and increase attendance from their strongest demographic, teens. The amusement park used text-to-win contests, and mobile alerts to send their target demographic VIP only ticket sales info, exclusive park information, weather updates, etc. The mobile marketing campaign was advertised through in-park advertisements, radio promotions and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Within three months of the mobile marketing program’s start, the Six Flags text alerts program had opted-in almost 5,000 mobile subscribers. More importantly, the amusement park saw an increase in teen park attendance as a direct result from their mobile marketing campaign. See the full case study here. If you’re looking for an amusement park mobile marketing case study, you’re going to want to just on this ride once more, as this is the only one on this list.

 

#26 Westfield Malls

Westfield Mall Mobile Marketing Case Study

Five Westfield shopping centers in Northern California used text message marketing to build a database of their shoppers mobile phone numbers, which they used to send mobile offers, promotions and information about special events. To supercharge their mobile marketing efforts, Westfield offered the chance for one new mobile subscriber to win a $1,000 shopping spree, and advertised this on signage throughout the malls. The mobile marketing campaign generated 6,000 text message subscribers in just one week. See the full case study here. Only four more mobile marketing case studies to go, you’re almost there!

 

#27 Taco Bell

Taco Bell Mobile Marketing Case Study

Taco Bell, a quick service restaurant launched a mobile marketing campaign in an effort to develop another channel to communicate with their most loyal customers. To subscribe to the Taco Bell SMS campaign, customers texted the SMS keyword “TBIC” to the SMS short code 30364. The campaign was promoted to customers through traditional media such as radio, television and print.

To incentivize customers to opt-in, Taco Bell offered a free Frutista Freeze, with the purchase of any food item, after a customers opted-in to the mobile program. This mobile marketing campaign generated 13,000 opt-ins within the first five weeks. See the full case study here. If you came for restaurant mobile marketing case studies, you’ve reached the end, but we can still be friends right?

 

#28 Nimnicht Family of Dealerships

Nimnicht Family of Dealerships Mobile Marketing Case Study

The Nimnicht Family of Dealerships in Jackson, FL used a mobile contest to generate new sales leads. The mobile contest, which gave the chance for consumers to win various prizes was promoted on local radio stations and TV commercials. 4,000 consumers participated in the mobile contest, which resulted in 370 workable leads for the dealerships sales team. After the mobile contest ended, a mobile offer was sent to contest participants that was designed for consumers who were interested in purchasing a new or used vehicle from the dealership. See the full case study here. Two automotive mobile marketing case studies on this list, because who doesn’t love a brand new car!

 

#29 Red Cross

Red Cross Mobile Marketing Case Study

The Red Cross used text messaging to collect donations after Hurricane Sandy, the largest Atlantic hurricane on record, which caused an estimated $50 billion in damages. Donors were encouraged to text “REDCROSS” to the SMS short code 90999 to donate $10, which would be added to the donor’s next mobile phone bill. 20% of all donations raised by the Red Cross for Hurricane Sandy relief was raised through text message donations. See the full case study here. Two non-profit mobile marketing case studies on this list, because it’s non-profit, not non-results.

 

#30 Turner Sports

Turner Sports Mobile Marketing Case Study

Turner Sports, after launching their new TBS Social Dugout mobile app turned to text message marketing when looking for an easy way to instruct fans on how to download the app to their mobile devices. Turner Sports used a shared SMS short code (68398) and the SMS keyword (DUGOUT), and promoted the mobile call-to-action during the first three days of the Major League Baseball playoffs. Over 2,000 fans downloaded the TBS Social Dugout mobile app after engaging with the text messaging campaign. See the full case study here.

 

Wow, congrats you made it to the end of the list! Talk about a lot of mobile marketing case studies right? Hopefully you enjoyed!


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