JERSEY CITY, N.J., Feb. 22, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SITO Mobile Ltd. (SITO) (NASDAQ:SITO), a leading mobile engagement platform provider, announced today the launch of its new political product SITO Elect, enabling political parties and candidates to utilize mobile location-based targeting and data to influence key audience segments such as Millennials and minorities.
Recent studies on political ad consumption highlight a big shift in the way voters are consuming political ads. Political campaigns and Super PACs are expected to spend more than $10 billion this year targeting and influencing voters. In this rapidly shifting media landscape, engaging key segments of the electorate via mobile audience targeting will be a key strategic component of any successful campaign.
“There are now nearly 200 million smartphone users in the U.S. and in combination with distinct changes in mobile device usage patterns, the 2016 elections will be the ‘mobile elections’,” said Jerry Hug, CEO, SITO Mobile. “This election cycle will see significant political ad budget move from TV to mobile as it no longer makes sense for a campaign to allocate 80% of its media buy to TV. While past elections have been driven by effective social media marketing, the 2016 elections will be influenced by mobile media. SITO Elect is the first of several new products SITO Mobile will launch this year.”
SITO Elect enables a campaign to target voters on their mobile devices through hyperlocal targeting, reaching Republican and Democrat households in key voter segments or “turfs”. Driven by 1st and 3rd party data, voters are targeted and retargeted at specific locations through mobile location geo-targeting, then delivered dynamic creative ads that are customized to target the voter based on their location and demographic profile.
Throughout the 2016 elections, SITO Elect will be utilized for political party marketing outreach, recruiting campaign volunteers and election day “get out and vote” campaigns in neighborhoods exhibiting lower voter turnout rates. Several political organizations and candidates have already integrated SITO Mobile’s technology into campaigns targeting key audiences in specific locations including New Hampshire, Missouri, Montana and New Jersey.
“A key component of SITO Elect is its Verified Walk-In (VWI) proprietary technology,” said Jon Lowen, EVP Operations and Product Development, SITO Mobile. “VWI closed loop attribution provides analytics identifying voters who have attended a party rally, event or visited any specific location, enabling a campaign to target and retarget these voters to deliver relevant, 1:1 messaging. The campaign can track election day poll walk-in to provide attribution and reporting.”
A recent survey of registered voters in a study by Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) found that mobile is crucial for reaching Millennials, Hispanics and African Americans. For example, Hispanic voters respond better to mobile or digital ads, with 87% saying they have taken action after seeing an ad, such as searching for more information about the candidate or starting an in-person conversation about them. The study concluded that political candidates who want to reach Millennials & minorities must shift more of their ad budget to mobile due to high levels of engagement and better targeting capabilities.
“Approximately 60% of Millennials live in a house without a landline phone and only watch TV via a smartphone, tablet or computer,” said Hug. “Reaching, engaging and influencing key audience segments in specific locations via mobile devices is now vital for any successful candidate.”
About SITO Mobile Ltd.
SITO Mobile provides a mobile engagement platform that enables brands to increase awareness, loyalty and ultimately sales. For more information visit www.sitomobile.com.
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