Liz Claiborne-owned brand Kate Spade is running mobile commerce-enabled ads as a way to drive sales for its new spring collection.

Kate Spade is promoting its new collaboration collection with designer Florence Broadhurst via the mobile ads. The ads are running within Pandora’s iPhone application in addition to a sponsored radio station from the retailer.

“It is essential that retailers land opt-in traffic from mobile ads on a site that is formatted for the device the consumer is using,” said Wilson Kerr, vice president of business development and sales at Unbound Commerce, Boston.

“Now, more than ever, it is essential that retailers deliver a shopping experience optimized for an increasingly mobile customer base,” he said.

Mr. Kerr is not affiliated with Kate Spade. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

Kate Spade did not respond to press inquiries.

Flower power
The expandable mobile ads read, “Introducing Florence Broadhurst for Kate Spade New York. Shop the spring 2012 campaign.”

Users who tap on the mobile ads are taken to Kate Spade’s mobile site, where the new collection is prominently promoted at the top of the screen.

Consumers can shop products from the collection, including sunglasses, dresses, shoes and purses.

Additionally, users can filter down the products by size to see which items are in stock.

Consumers can zoom in to get a closer look at products via the mobile site to get a better sense of what an item looks like.

The mobile site also includes a click-to-call function and a store locator to help consumers locate products or contact the company with any questions.

Kate Spade is also sponsoring a Pandora radio station with songs and artists that are inspired by the collection.

Tech-savvy shoppers
Kate Spade is an active brand in the digital world.

The company has a strong social media presence which includes Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube and Instagram, making mobile an obvious extension for the brand.

Additionally, by including a radio station, Kate Spade is able to give fans an extra piece of content.

Kate Spade’s mobile commerce-enabled ads are a great way for the company to create buzz around its new clothing collection.

The mobile ad campaign is also proof that as mobile commerce continues to grow, consumers will be more comfortable making large purchases via their handsets.

For example, a dress from the Kate Spade collection retails for approximately $450. A pair of shoes from the collection costs around $330.

By making the ads shoppable, Kate Spade realizes that some of its consumers may be interested in buying directly from their mobile devices regardless of price.

“Think about how many peer-to-peer product recommendations occur when consumers are not sitting in front of a computer and each of these consumers likely has a connected smartphone in their pocket,” Mr. Kerr said.

“As smartphone penetration crosses the 50 percent mark, retailers that provide broken experiences by letting mobile shoppers suffer through their standard site will be left behind,” he said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York