Selfie craze
Universal is tapping into a growing photo and selfie trend that is increasing especially among younger females, which is this particular movie?s target audience. That makes this campaign a perfect fit for the film.

A number of other brands have also realized the potential in photos and the selfie in particular (see story).

One such brand is Ted Baker who recently invited customers to take selfies in front of digital displays and upload them to social media for a chance to win a prize (see story).

As opposed to traditional mobile ads, campaigns that use photo apps and selfies tap into user-generated content and consumer creativity to engage the consumer in a more meaningful way.

"Universal knew their core audience for the film was a younger female demographic, so they tapped Millennial Media and Aviary who have a deep understanding of the mobile user," said Mollie Spilman, executive vice president of global sales and operations at Millennial Media, Baltimore, MD.

"Demographics with the highest mobile usage tend to skewer younger, and the younger female demographic, in particular, tends to be most prominent within photo sharing apps," she said. "By pairing native ad units with a unique app experience, Universal is able to generate awareness and promote engagement."

Final Take
Rebecca Borison is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York