Ever since mobile telephones have been around, people have had their doubts about the small devices. Do you really want to be accessible during every moment of the day? Is the mobile signal perhaps bad for your health? The last years the mobile phone has experienced an immense amount of changes, creating a wide variety of different cellular phones for all kinds of people.
Nowadays more people start to see the convenience of the handheld device and show more appreciation. Over 85% of the Dutch population is in possession of a mobile phone and they aren’t just for calling anymore. They usually come with extra applications such as a built-in camera, mp3-player and navigation system. A good reason to carry it everywhere you go and advertising companies are starting to notice that. Television, radio and the internet have been used for many years to reach the buyers, so why not the mobile phone?
Mobile advertising can be carried out in a variety of ways. Several years ago companies started with SMS-based advertising. According to Katie Fehrenbacher, that always seemed like a bad idea.
“A promotional ad in a text message form would be sent to a group of people, hoping that the recipient would respond and refer into action. Plain random text would not reach the wanted effect.” Michael Stanley, senior consultant for Sony Ericsson’s Market Unit, confirms Katie’s thought. “A mobile ad needs to be relevant and has to have a certain benefit for the recipient. If not, the ad would just be seen as spam advertising.”
The latest technology also provides full internet access on your mobile phone, which has opened up a whole new dimension for mobile advertising. Although there is still a major difference between visiting a website on your mobile phone or your desktop computer, a mobile phone is seen as a personal space. More and more websites are being converted to fit mobile screens so they can be easily accessed. By screening the content which a person surfs for on the internet, advertising companies are capable of sending ads focused on specific target groups. Clickable hyperlinks and pop-up ads amplify the effect as consumers become more comfortable with data and internet experiences.
Even though mobile advertising is at its birth, mobile and advertising companies will have to work together and use a correct strategy to ensure a success. Hardly anyone would sign up for receiving random mobile ads. Michael Stanley believes there has to be a reward for it, such as free call minutes or credits on operator portals. The main key is to deliver content that is of interest and of use to the consumer. Even Bluetooth – an open standard for wireless connections between devices at short range – adverts are being discussed, since the technology that mobile phones hybrid is only growing.
That mobile advertising is an upcoming trend is for sure. Can the mobile and advertising industry harness the power of this new medium? Simply introducing it to the public in a structured manner can guarantee a long-term success. While the number of mobile phone users is growing every day, mobile advertising is bound to become the advertising way of the future.
(Words:535)
Sources:
http://www.cellular-news.com/story/24353_2.php
http://gigaom.com/2006/09/18/will-mobile-ads-work/
http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/7717.asp
1 Comment
October 15, 2007 at 4:55 pm
Weblog Article Peer Review Form B – Second Review
Writer’s Name Kiran Singh
Assessor’s name Lindsey Visser
Date October 2nd 2007
Rating Scale: 1 = Yes 2 = Somewhat 3 = No
Rate the article by giving a 1, 2 or 3 for each question. Read the article once to get a general idea of what it is about, then read it a second time to rate it.
1. Is the topic interesting? 1
2. Is the title original and appropriate? 1
3. Is the introduction complete? 1
4. Is the body of your article complete? 1
5. Is the conclusion well-developed? 2
6. Is the article well-organized overall? 1
7. Is the article easy to understand? 1
8. Is the article interesting to read? 1
9. Has any plagiarised material been removed? 1
Do you feel that the writer has improved the article? Why or why not? Be specific.
Yes, I do think that the article has been improved. The title has been changed and there is a better introduction to the article. The article is easy to read and everything is explained well.
Has the writer changed the article adequately according to your suggestions for improvement of your first assessment? Describe the changes and state specifically whether you think they are an improvement.
- The title of the article has been changed. I think it’s better now because the last one wasn’t very original. I think this is an improvement.
- There is a better introduction to the article. Mobile advertising is explained and how it can be used. This is also an improvement.
- There is a conclusion. In the last version there also was a conclusion, but in my opinion this one is better.
Are you happy to have this article on your weblog? Why or why not? Be specific.
Yes, the article is very well written and easy and interesting to read. It fits with the assignment for O’Neill and I think you can learn a lot about mobile advertising from the article. I am satisfied about the quality and subject of the article.