SMS marketing has been a go-to strategy for brands over the past few years. Texting makes it easier to reach customers where they are, and the ways to send a text message have evolved. One way to make SMS content more engaging is to add graphics or send videos — that’s where MMS marketing comes into play.
MMS marketing, short for multimedia messaging service marketing, is the act of sending media files such as videos, pictures, audio messages, or GIFs via text for marketing purposes. MMS can make text campaigns more effective. Marketo found that MMS has a 20 percent higher opt-in rate than SMS alone. That’s likely because photos give customers a better idea of what to expect from a brand.
If you’re looking to incorporate MMS into your business texting strategy, use these examples from real-life brands as inspiration (and a few we brainstormed at Textline.) Plus, we include MMS best practices to ensure you’re getting the most out of your MMS marketing campaigns.
12 MMS marketing examples
1. A service offer from Mejuri
Mejuri is an everyday fine jewelry brand that releases new products every Monday. In addition, the company recently launched in-store piercings called the Piercing Studio and used MMS to encourage customers to use their new service.
To help customers visualize its inventory and convince them to get a piercing, Mejuri shares a photo of a woman with multiple ear piercings. The visual helps engage more customers than the text would alone.
2. A discount offer from Polo Ralph Lauren
Polo Ralph Lauren is a global brand known for its designer apparel for women, men, and children. In this MMS advertisement, the company’s outlet brand is advertising its back-to-school campaign with a fashion-forward GIF. The company also includes a 15 percent off coupon to entice customers further to shop their Fall styles.
3. A new product release from Outdoor Voices
Outdoor Voices, headquartered in Austin, TX, is an athletic apparel company that’s disrupted the athleisure industry. The company is known for its high-quality and minimalistic activewear. In this MMS campaign, Outdoor Voices shares its latest product release: a recreational dress based on its famous skort.
4. Free gift offer from Truly Beauty
As a beauty brand, Truly Beauty is all about visuals. So the company chose to celebrate National Girlfriend Day by advertising its whipped body butter in collaboration with Nickelodeon. The design features Spongebob Squarepants characters, Spongebob and Patrick. Plus, it is fun and colorful and appropriate for campaign purposes.
5. Timely offer from Umbra
The back-to-school season is the perfect time for brands to use MMS to drive their Fall campaigns. For example, Umbra is a home accessories and manufacturing company headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Since most college kids live in dorms or apartments near campus, Umbra uses MMS to advertise their campus living essentials sale.
The company also highlights that some essentials are up to 50 percent off to entice more customers to buy their products.
6. A new number announcement from ASTR The Label
As demonstrated by ASTR The Label, not all MMS marketing campaigns center around a sale or offer. The fashion and apparel company used MMS to share its new texting number with customers while promoting its latest Summer 2022 collection.
This example is one of many ways brands can use MMS to convey a message. Some other ways to use MMS outside sales or offers include abandoned cart messages, sharing important brand updates, or shipping and order confirmations.
7. A loyalty offer from Starbucks
Another MMS example is from the national coffee chain Starbucks. In January, the company ran an MMS campaign that gifted loyal customers a free drink. This customer loyalty or retention campaign focuses on making customers feel appreciated. Plus, it encourages them to stop into the store to purchase a free drink.
8. A welcome text from Lovepop
Lovepop makes popup cards for birthdays, holidays, and other occasions. The company also sells flowers and other gifts for special events. In addition, the company uses MMS to welcome new subscribers to its SMS marketing list. This makes customers feel welcome from the jump. It also includes a link for users to browse its website, encouraging customers to shop immediately.
9. A creative MMS push from ABC show Pretty Little Liars
ABC hit TV show Pretty Little Liars used an MMS marketing campaign to help improve viewership and engagement each week.
Before each episode aired, ABC sent loyal viewers exclusive previews and clues via SMS. The campaign resulted in more than 100,000 people signing up to receive these alerts. Plus, the campaign boost viewer engagement by 20 percent.
10. Abandoned cart reminder from Moshi♡Moshi (Textline)
Moshi♡Moshi may not be a real brand, but it does what most real brands often do: send abandoned cart reminders. Studies show that roughly 69 percent of carts are left, and an abandoned cart reminder can help companies increase conversion rates. Offering free shipping or an extra discount can further entice customers to finish checking out their carts.
11. Birthday offer from Bolt (Textline)
Bolt is a fictional ride-sharing company that understands the power of SMS and MMS. In this example, Bolt offers a rider an exclusive birthday reward. A study found that 77 percent of mobile consumers state that receiving surprise points, exclusive messages, and birthday or anniversary content "would have a major impact on their brand loyalty."
12. Donation request from Plant Earth (Textline)
Last on our list is an example of a non-profit organization, Plant Earth, that uses business texting to ask subscribers to sign up for a monthly donation program. Links in text messages have an eight times higher conversion rate than links sent in other marketing channels.
MMS marketing best practices
Before you send your first text, make sure to keep these best practices in mind. That way, you can ensure your MMS content is engaging and legal.
1. Make sure you get an opt-in from customers before you send any marketing messages.
2. Use high-resolution and minimalistic images to keep it simple and ensure a quality customer experience.
3. Optimize images for MMS; don’t send large files without compressing them first. Limit file sizes to less than 300kb to avoid delivery failures.
4. Make sure images are brand appropriate and relevant to the campaign.
5. Always include text with graphics to explain their meaning and add more context.
6. Include a call to action to direct customers to the next step in the sales funnel, like a link.
7. Don’t send too many MMS messages, or you may lose SMS subscribers.
8. Pay attention to timing; sending the message during business hours is generally more socially acceptable.
9. Get a plan in place to handle replies. For example, you should determine if you will send an automated message letting customers know to call if they have questions or if a company representative will reply via text. Remember, MMS and SMS are built for back-and-forth communication.
The bottom line: MMS marketing can increase engagement
Make the most of your mobile marketing strategy by adding MMS to the mix. Consider using a combination of multimedia to see which ones perform best. Remember, there is no perfect formula for the best MMS experience, but experimenting and collecting customer feedback can help you personalize the best experience for your customers.
