Nike campaign gets 23 000 messages from MXit

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A selection of these is written in lights and the authors receive an SMS announcing when their headline has been used, along with the photo of their headline available as a download.

Digital agency Trigger, working closely with Nike's global agency partners AKQA and Wieden+Kennedy, has managed the seamless integration of the home-grown mobile social networking tool into the Life Centre project.

Nike South Africa's marketing focus has shifted heavily toward the use of mobile platforms to engage with its growing football audience. The agency developed its client's presence on MXit as early as June 2009 given MXit's significant reach and the medium's ability to engage directly with the target market.

The agency's dedicated presence for Nike Football on MXit contains mobile-friendly football training tips and real team drills by brand-sponsored footballers. Aspiring footballers can literally take their phones onto the field and learn to play better football. Also, an exclusive partnership with Cell C by way of the brand's Football Starter Pack provides users with discounted call rates to team mates, the chance to win experiences with its athletes and access to exclusive mobile football content.

The agency has also integrated real-time blogging and Twitter functionality into MXit allowing consumers to engage directly with local football stars and the likes of the Nike Insider (a dedicated brand football journalist) who maintains a daily mobile football blog with up to the minute behind-the scene football action. Wallpapers, videos and mobile blogs are also made available.

According to MXit's stats, since May 2010 over 581,385 South African have added the Nike bot to their list of contacts proving the success of the strategy and implementation.