It’s great to see that Woolworths has finally released an Android App to complement their iPhone App. What I can’t understand is why they’ve already spent a mountain of money advertising the iPhone App when the Android App wasn’t ready. They had Amanda Keller advertising the App on TV as well as bus-shelter billboards and they plastered all their stores with the iPhone only message.

Why spend so much money doing blanket advertising for a product that only iPhone users can access? Steve Jobs must be wringing his hands in glee at the free plug their product is getting.

In my experience I’ve learnt that if you push your iPhone App to all users (not just iPhone users) you actually alienate non-iPhone users, who start getting angry about your brand. A much better solution, is to have iPhone, Android and a basic web app sorted, then go with a broader message about how your product is “available on your smartphone now”. Any other approach is wasteful and in fact, damaging to your brand. If I was on the Woolie’s Board I’d be asking for the Marketing Budget to be cut.

In the meantime, congrats on the App Woolies, it’s actually pretty good.