Although nearly everyone today has a cell phone, mobile marketing is still very much in its infancy and marketers are struggling with how best to use the mobile platform to influence consumers. So far, it seems they have not been that effective if you look at the numbers: only 6.9% of adults surveyed said that video on mobile phones influenced them to purchase electronics; 6.4% said text messaging did the same. However, when you turn your eyes to what those numbers look like for the younger crowd, an entirely different picture emerges.
For the much-sought-after and elusive 18-24 year old segment of the market, mobile advertising has promise. In fact, according to data from a BIGresearch study, it's twice as effective among younger consumers with 14.2% of 18 to 24 year-olds saying that mobile video influenced them and 15.9% saying text messaging did.
Those number also show that text messaging isn't the only way to reach consumers via their phone. Today's phones keep advancing and many of them have become more like a little computer in our pocket...or even a TV in our pocket. Because of this, marketers' now have the ability to tap into mobile TV services like Verizon's VCAST or Sprint TV, for example (Both are U.S. services).
But mobile advertising doesn't exist in a vacuum. Verizon's strategy is to use mobile ads as part of the bigger picture - something they call their "three screen" approach. Since Verizon offers mobile data services, digital FIOS TV services, and high-speed internet, the mobile device "can be used to enhance or activate other types of media," says Stephanie Bauer, who leads mobile advertising at Verizon Wireless.
As for AT&T, Jordan Berman, executive director of media innovation for AT&T Mobility is looking at a strategy that includes "mobile display ads, a direct-response element such as a bar code or text shortcode, and some form of branded content or utility, whether an m-commerce site, coupon or a contest, to which consumers are driven."
Those mobile ads may help drive real-world sales, like Verizon's three-screened promotional effort, the Burger King "Whopper Freakout" campaign, created by Crispin Porter + Bogusky. Another company offering mobile ads is the mobile coupon service, Cellfire, who offers both downloadable apps and a mobile web site for accessing deals from your mobile phone.
However, mobile ads could also help the m-commerce trend, too. Earlier this month, we looked at some ways that m-commerce was taking off and discovered that nearly half (49%) of mobile data users said they expected to participate in mobile commerce in the future.
Despite the growth, it's still obvious that the perfect formula for marrying mobile ads and mobile shopping hasn't been perfected yet, as many marketers seem to still be experimenting with various methods and gauging their effectiveness.
Photo Credits: enV courtesy of nesster
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What the...Blog post has the title "Mobile Advertising Has Potential" but doesn't mention the Android + AdSense mother load?
http://code.google.com/android
http://www.google.com/adsense
Posted by: Todd | June 27, 2008 11:23 AM
Text message ads drive me absolutely insane, and I think I would purposely avoid buying a product for advertising that way. I feel like my phone is more private than my computer or TV, it's my space to communicate, not yours to advertise!
Posted by: Emily Williams | June 27, 2008 1:35 PM
And the dumbing of america continues....
Hey, i have an idea, instead of having little ads sent to your phone telling you how to thing and what to buy, why not refuse to buy the phone that is capable of advertising, think for yourself, and tell the advertisers to shove it up their....
Well, I can dream that people aren't as stuid as they are, can't I?
Posted by: Inverse137 | June 27, 2008 7:09 PM
If AT&T offered consumers the ability to click on objects when they are in a store to find information, such as, cheapest price, price comparison, nearest location of the object relative to your position, recalls on items (like beef and tomatoes), on a particular item, it would have to be a permission based platform.
Let say I am outside the store and I want to click on logos, trademarks, keywords, slogans, billboards, to get information, great less thumb typing, GREAT. Lets click away.
What about finding directions without typing? Click on the bus logo to find schedules. I would hope that I would be able to say the keyword of a object, ex. Walmart, and get directions to the location from my current position.
What ever AT&T does the navigation tool must be:
1.) A permission based platform.
2.) Offer the ability to click on objects or say the "keyword, logo, or trademark" of the object.
3.) Offer the ability to click on multiple objects, 1D barcodes, 2D barcodes (QR, Data matrix, Aztec, others welcome), RFID, and other things mentioned above.
4.) One reader should do it all, not time to search for multiple application that need to be down loaded. Pre-embedded, please.
BTW, this has the ability to make Google Android a novilty item.
This is my opinion.
Jordan Berman you know the tool, it is the NeoReader.
Posted by: Swampthing | June 27, 2008 7:24 PM
My cellular telephone is my tool to be used at my convenience, not some scammer/spammer/advertiser's tool to be used at their intrusive whim. I will never purchase anything advertised by transmission to my cellular.
Posted by: Tom | June 27, 2008 8:16 PM
I highly recommend the NeoReader for all your mobile code reading needs.
It is able to read and decipher all common non-proprietary 2D codes (Data Matrix, QR, Aztec) as well as URL embedded 2D codes and all 1D UPC/EAN/Code 128 open source codes. The NeoReader supports direct and indirect code linking, which guarantees maximum interoperability with already existing platforms like 2D Data Matrix Semacodes, and Japanese QR links. This allows the user to click on a variety of codes with a single application installed on their mobile device.
http://www.neoreader.com
Also, keep an eye on the Mobile Codes Consortium.
http://www.mobilecodes.org
Posted by: streetstylz | June 27, 2008 9:49 PM
Blasting out message to a broad mass works with TV, but won´t work with mobile. Because of the fact that this medium is SO personal, the message has to be very personal too. Or would you mind getting a hotel recommendation via text messaging if you are stuck at the airport and tired enough that you would sleep on the floor? Probably not. Mobile Advertisers are still in the process of learning that and the industry simply won´t take off until advertisers have realized how to work with this new medium in a non intrusive way - and that´s the big challenge the industry is facing right now.
Posted by: Aleks | June 28, 2008 2:59 PM