Special shout out today goes to our friends at Neebo for their “Wanna Vegas?” mobile sweepstakes. We think it’s an excellent example of how to run a meaningful and effective campaign. Here’s a quick rundown of some reasons why:

1) Clear, memorable and relevant Keyword/Short Code Combo

Neebo’s chosen mobile call to action (CTA for short), Text VEGAS2012 to 22022, is extremely effective. The keyword, VEGAS2012, is easy to remember, relevant to the campaign and wont get autoedited by autocorrect. The short code 22022 also is easy to remember, type in on any phone (user error prevention) and repeat to friends (viral benefits). A good litmus test is to imagine a keyword/short code combo being broadcast on the radio, TV, and print without any added confusion. This CTA holds up very well.

2) Effective incentive that’s relevant to the target audience

Effective mobile marketing campaigns require strong incentives. Neebo’s campaign presents an excellent example of an incentive that is not just compelling, but also extremely relevant to the company’s target audience. I mean, what purchaser of textbooks on a college campus wouldn’t be interested in a spring break trip to one of the most fun places in the country (and tell their friends as much)?

3) Dedicated promotion across marketing channels

Neebo’s campaign demonstrates the effectiveness of promoting a campaign across multiple communication channels, with calls to action going out across email, Facebook, Twitter and in-store banners at all 127 off-campus bookstore locations. Making a concerted effort to publish campaigns across a brand’s communication networks instills trust from the audience, maximizes viral potential and ensures significant campaign engagement.

4) Added level of interactivity

As part of the promotion, participants can draw a “Wanna Vegas?” card from card decks at the store. A store associate will then scan the card upon purchase and the purchaser instantly receives a spring break prize (e.g. candy, sunglasses, beach towels, headphones, playing cards, gear, swag, etc.). They are then encouraged to take the card with them and text in to win a trip. This element of interactivity and gamification are excellent best practices for mobile if they can be integrated seamlessly into a campaign. Mobile is an interactive medium where consumers respond positively to compelling interaction points that are relevant to the campaign.

5) Included personalization as part of the marketing process

As part of the promotion, Neebo is using brand agents at stores to go out on and around campuses to provide students with handout CTAs. This personal touch brings the campaign directly to its desired audience, delicately balancing both push and pull marketing tactics.

6) Clear, compelling, easy to digest call to action design 

The CTA for the campaign is clear, easy to read, compelling and artfully designed. This “secret sauce” is a must have for campaigns to see significant success (please see artofthecta.com for more example CTAs to learn from).

Again, hats off to our friends at Neebo for their mobile marketing campaign’s design and execution. If you see other campaigns that strike you as being particularly effective please post them to the comments.