On Dec. 12, Kenneth Cole sent a SMS message to its opted-in users announcing the contest. Consumers can enter the promotion via email, Instagram and Twitter.

“SMS has become the primary channel for contest entry method among our clients,” said Doug Stovall, senior vice president of sales and client services at Hipcricket, New York.

“Brands recognized that SMS is immediate and ubiquitous with 100 percent reach and offers higher engagement rate than traditional mail,” he said. “For brands, SMS contests are also easier to implement – they are quick to set up, allow brands to immediately notify winners with a single text message and can analyze the results of the contest in one digital file.”

“According to NPD, more than 30 percent of all photos are taken with a camera phone while sales of point-and-shoot cameras dropped 17 percent in volume last year. We believe, mobile offers the best platform for photo sharing contests mainly because of the ease of use and the simplicity.”

Mr. Stovall is not associated with Kenneth Cole. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

Kenneth Cole did not respond to press inquiries.

Mobile sharing
Kenneth Cole pushed the contest via an SMS message that read, “Timing is everything. Share your perfect moment for a chance to win big today.”

The SMS message includes a link to a campaign-specific page on Kenneth Cole’s mobile site that explains how the campaign works.

Every week, consumers can win either Kenneth Cole watches or gift cards.

To participate in the Perfect Timing campaign, consumers fill out a mobile form that includes contact information such as their name, phone number and date of birth. Users also must specify on how they want to enter the sweepstakes through either email, Twitter or Instagram.

Photos submitted via Twitter and Instagram must include the hashtag #KCPerfectTiming. Photos can also be emailed to [email protected].

Promotion for the campaign is being pushed out via Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

The campaign runs through Jan. 17.

Submitted photos for the campaign on Instagram

Social buzz
With the growth in the photo sharing space, more brands are tapping mobile for contests and sweepstakes.

In this case, Kenneth Cole is able to target a group of interested consumers by sending out a time-sensitive SMS message.

SMS remains a workhorse in mobile because of its reach, meaning that it is a great channel for marketers to get the word out about new campaigns and promotions.

Besides SMS, Kenneth Cole has dipped its toes into several other mobile channels.

Earlier this year, the brand placed QR codes on a Father’s Day-themed newspaper ad to drive mobile commerce sales for the holiday (see story).

Most recently, Kenneth Cole partnered with Rock the Vote on a line of tote bags that included a pin with a QR code that encouraged consumers to register to vote (see story).

“Marketers will need a multichannel approach and pick the channel or channels that suit their target audience and overall go-to-market strategy,” Mr. Stovall said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York