Honda was one of the first automakers to roll out advertisements placed within mobile wallets, enabling the brand to target consumers after the initial ad impression with notifications regarding upcoming sales events.

Honda leveraged mobile marketing company Vibes? WalletAds platform as it ramped up to drive brand awareness and engage in direct response marketing tactics. The Honda Dream Garage Sales Event saw mobile wallet install rates clock in at six times more than the average install rates experienced by other advertisers running WalletAds campaigns, showcasing the potential for other automotive brands to follow suit.

?Mobile wallets like Apple Wallet and Android Pay are installed on virtually every smartphone and designed to conveniently store offers, loyalty cards and more,? said Brian Bradtke, vice president of mobile wallet advertising at Vibes, Chicago.

?WalletAds allows advertisers to capitalize on these native applications, attracting new customers that aren?t already using their mobile app and significantly increasing the effectiveness of their mobile advertising strategy. Mobile advertising is broken, but by using this innovative ad unit, advertisers can drive engagement metrics that are two to four times better than comparable ad experiences.?

Driving up interaction
The WalletAds platform, which recently enjoyed its one-year anniversary, enabled Honda to effectively target mobile users by promoting its nationwide Honda Dream Garage Sales Event through a mobile wallet ad campaign that invited consumers to tap a banner ad and save the event onto their smartphones (see story).

Once individuals saved the event, Honda sent notifications to those users and alerted them to additional upcoming events. Consequently, the brand was able to engage with consumers even after the initial ad impression faded, giving Honda ample opportunity to inspire customers to come in-store for a test drive or sales event.

Honda also offered $500 off a new lease or vehicle purchase to mobile users, widening an opportunity to transform a previous non-customer into a long-term fan of the brand.

Mobile wallet install rates for Honda?s Dream Garage Event ended up being six times better than the average rate Vibes typically sees across its clients? WalletAds campaigns.

Honda implemented ad serving company Flashtalking?s technology to tailor the advertisements to specific devices. For instance, iPhone owners received an ad that was savable to Passbook, resulting in an optimized experience.

Other marketers that have used Vibes? WalletAds include Petco, Dairy Queen, Adidas and Dick?s Sporting Goods.

Traditional vs. integrated
Mobile wallets come pre-installed on many Android and iOS devices, removing the need for a brand to develop ways to drive app installs and promote banner ad interaction. Instead, the communication vehicle is already available on users? smartphones.

Mobile wallet ads also give customers the option of engaging with them at a later date. If a user spots an ad for interesting event but is rushing to work, he or she can tap and save the event reminder into Apple Wallet or Android Pay to peruse it at a more convenient time.

According to Vibes? 2016 Mobile Consumer report, approximately 50 percent of survey participants claimed they prefer to be directed to a page featuring a mobile coupon rather than an app download or mobile commerce page.

Additionally, one-third of consumers currently leverage a mobile wallet such as Android Pay or Apple Pay.

This gives marketers considerable chances to target smartphone savvy individuals ? many of whom belong to the millennial demographic ? while promoting real one-to-one brand interaction.

Honda has especially been angling to reach millennial car buyers, as evidenced by its recent forays into social campaigns.

The automaker shifted into high gear on mobile in January, targeting millennials for a Civic redesign through ads unique to social media platforms that do well with the young demographic (see story).

Honda?s successful campaign may spur other brands in its sector to soon follow.

?Because a car is one of the biggest purchases someone will make in their life, automakers have traditionally targeted mediums like TV and billboards,? Mr. Bradtke said. ?But WalletAds unlocks a power these larger mediums cannot offer.

?Once a TV ad is finished or a billboard is taken down, the campaign is over,? he said. ?After a WalletAds campaign concludes, however, advertisers have the ability to continue a conversation with targeted consumers on the device they have on them at all times.

?We found only 5 percent of customers who added offers and coupons to their mobile wallets deleted their content after it expired or was redeemed in 2015. That provides a unique opportunity to build a lasting relationship with the brand and drive consumers into the physical store location or dealership.?