Mobile Advertising Is NOT The Next Big Thing!
Did I get your attention?
…Good 
Okay, so I do not whole heartedly believe the above statement,
…however for years I have heard mobile ad firms telling me that mobile advertising is here and here in a big way. Well, where is it?
All of the mobile ad companies I talk to tell me mobile advertising has reached the point where it is a viable solution for any marketer, (except for my friend Chris Arens of Ad Infuse who has the most organic and realistic view of mobile) while many of the marketers I speak with ask, “where is the real value?”
Disclosure: I am not an expert on the mobile industry, but it is my job to pay as close attention as is necessary for my clients (which is probably closer attention than most people pay)
So is there value in mobile advertising?
I would say the answer to this question would have to begin with a shift in the semantic approach we take towards this channel. I also think we need to, once again re-adjust our attitudes and approaches towards advertising (as we did when shifting to web advertising).
Advertising is largely a reinforcement of a brand message. When most of us think of interactive advertising, we think of banners, impressions, click through etc. I have been told over and over again of the incredible click through rates that advertisers are seeing on the mobile web. I don’t buy it, and even if I did, I don’t care about click through rates on the web, so why should I care about them on a phone? I care about real results!
Yes, I believe there is a ton of value for marketers in the mobile space!
From this day forward I will never refer to an initiative in the mobile space as advertising. This may seem unnecessarily analytical, but from now on it is strictly mobile marketing, not advertising. The decision is rooted in the Cluetrain Manifesto’s definition of markets as conversations. It is my belief that one of the sweet spots of delivering brand messages via mobile devices is in the conversation (I am going to stay away from locality and search in this post as we all know the importance of these factors in mobile marketing. I am strictly aiming my argument at those throwing banners on mobile phones aimlessly and telling me that is it working).
Markets are Conversations, Mobile Powers Conversations, Conversation Is Social
I chose not to blog about Coca-Cola’s Sprite Yard initiative when I first heard about it, as I did not know what I thought. My initial reaction was, “why would anyone want to be on a branded mobile social network? Teens will never go for that!”
Then I began to think, not about whether or not the campaign would be successful in a traditional sense. I begin to think about whether or not the experiment would successfully yield useable learning’s for Coke and the rest of the marketing community. Under this guise there is no way this initiative will be a failure.
After all, what is Coke really doing here? They are providing a persistent branded experience, and at the same time providing value to consumers by creating a social platform. To say this is not admirable would be somewhat hypocritical coming from someone who spends a great deal of time convincing others to experiment, provide experiences and take part in the new media conversation.
I want to hear from you! What is the true realization of effective mobile marketing?
Tags: Mobile, Mobile Marketing, Sprite Yard, Cluetrain Manifesto, Coca Cola, Chris Arens, Ad Infuse, Experience, Conversation, Advertising
Jul 06, 2007
*Looks like someone else saw the LinkedIn question and the many “mobile” responses*
Jul 06, 2007
hmmm, I did not see that
Jul 07, 2007
hey chris: good article on mobile and the many questions. in my small experience with interactive dating to the late 1990s, i remember the same questions arising when marketers were discussing the emerging online/banner medium.
just like the success of interactive/digital/online media today is based on the penetration of broadband and the online experience for users- so too is the future of mobile marketing- in my opinion. if and when the hardware/phones and the 3g networks can provide you with the ability to receive the same experience on your hand-held as you can now with typical online media, the obvious advantages of locality, and demographic targeting, etc for mobile will translate this into a very large and legitimate medium for marketers.
specifically, in my opinion, in the mobile video space- i see this as the logical next step in marketing evolution- if the experience can deliver to the users’ expectations. there are firms- like your buddy chris’ ad infuse and rhythm- who are offering ad-supported mobile video services for free to users already. if the experience of the video on your hand-held is good- why wouldn’t you as a user want this? and in turn, why wouldn’t a marketer want to reach you on this most-personal of technology?
look forward to your thoughts- thanks.
Jul 08, 2007
I do agree that it is technology that is hindering the experience, and the experience is stunting growth. That being said, the focus of my post was centered around the medium and appropriate message for the medium. Even when mobile networks are capable of providing a more satisfying user experience, I do not feel that we can simply apply online methods to the palmtop. I think we must get creative and think about the type of device a mobile phone is, the inherent value proposition that it offers and how this value proposition can be expoited.
Sure, mobile video is great, but what length video? Do we stream full movies? Of course not.
My main mission is to seek and leverage the true marketing potention of the mobile phone and I am not so sure it has been uncovered yet.
Jul 09, 2007
This great article addresses two points which much of the buzz around mobile marketing and the Sprite Yard has missed or ignored.
Disclosure – I work at Marvellous, the agency behind teh Sprite Yard and other big brand mobile marketing initiatives, therefore my comments, although backed by several years experience, may not be seen as impartial!
We have been talking in client presentations and pitches about the difference between mobile advertising and mobile marketing. Mobile Advertising we see as the current fixation with the placement of banner or click through ads on mobile sites. Mobile Marketing is the ability to create a one to one communication with your consumer using a mobile device. Mobile is now maturing to the point where we can afford to have two widely understood terms which describe it.
As for the Sprite Yard your comments are well made, Coca Cola is using mobile as a brand enabler and have created a Sprite like experience on mobile which potentially extends the brand way beyond a traditional advertising campaign. As well as providing social tools the Yard gives an immediate reward to Sprite consumers in the shape of mobile content (the vast majority of which is very very good and not heavily Sprite branded) this point has been largely ignored by the ‘teens will never interact with a brand’ crowd.
So bloggers, please;
1. Differentiate between Mobile Advertising and Mobile Marketing
2. Applaud Coca Cola for pushing the digital envelope.
Jul 09, 2007
Richard
Thanks so much for commenting and substantiating my claim that there is a big difference between mobile marketing and mobile advertising. I would be anxious to hear what you think is the real value in mobile advertising (if any)?
Jul 09, 2007
Once mobile advertising evolves and brands and agencies get used to working with it then I’m sure it will prove effective.
Right now we have to get over the, ‘let’s just get a brand logo up there’ mentaiity which seems common at the moment. Check out any number of the current ads on US carriers and you’ll see, at best, average banners with often incredibly poor destination sites when clicked through. Many of these are little more than ‘my first wap’ site with a click to call button. (See Bank of America) Brands need to start thinking about a full campaign, designed for mobile and using the obvious features of the medium (instant, convenient, personal etc etc.)
There is I believe a strong arguement for mobile advertising when linked to a campaign for programs like the Sprite Yard, an entirely made for mobile experience, that’s a case of ‘fishing where the fish are’
So currently I’d say the real value in mobile advertising is limited to mobile content providers selling ring tones etc (not where the senior management of carriers want to see their advertising dollars coming from) however, through brands like Coca Cola pioneering in the mobile marketing space I’m sure mobile advertising will find it’s place.
Note to any Brand Managers reading – Find a mobile marketing creative specialist before spending big budgets on mobile advertising.
Jul 09, 2007
Great insight Richard
To go along with your thoughts, no channel should be leveraged in a vaccum. you mentioned
“a strong arguement for mobile advertising when linked to a campaign for programs like the Sprite Yard”
I realize that what you meant was there is a strong arguement becuase it is tied to a mobile campaign, but I think that a good marketing strategy is such there should always be a consistant story throughout various channels, and while each channel may tell a different part of the story, they should all, in some way be linked together.
I think one of the issues is that we are still stuck in a time when people are grappling with transmedia storytelling. Some however are beggining to get it!