Even though the majority of consumers find the idea of mobile ads annoying, marketers that are delivering valuable, relevant content are breaking through.
Some 79% of consumers said they would be irritated if an ad was sent to their mobile phones, according to a new report by Forrester Research Inc.
The study also found that 35% of U.S. households that own a mobile phone currently engage in text messaging and 11% access the Internet from their mobiles.
“Broader mobile data adoption is finally providing marketers with a real opportunity to reach customers, particularly the young and socially connected,” said Charles Glovin, a principal analyst and co-author of the report. “But marketers must adopt a more nuanced campaign approach in order to reach these consumers due to the highly personal and intrusive nature of the mobile medium.”
Forrester cited a number of brands that are successfully using mobile messaging as a marketing tool.
• McDonald’s placed mobile ads on mobile Web sites that attract young people, like Match.com, to boost its late-night service. The restaurant chain saw higher-than-average click-through rates due to a highly relevant offer: mobile coupons valid between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. for one night only.
• Clear Channel radio station WXKS (KISS 108 FM) in Boston offers a “text club” in which listeners receive mobile alerts and promotions, and use text to interact with disc jockeys during broadcasts. Forty-eight percent of the club sent texts for a chance to win breakfast with Nick Lachey.
* Broadway Marketplace, a small Cambridge, MA grocer, replaced its card-based loyalty program with one that uses mobile phones to identify the shopper. Promotions are delivered to phones based on shopper history. Since the new program’s inception, 82% of shoppers have joined with 64% participating on a regular basis.
“To avoid the perception of mobile spam, marketers must work with the unique elements of the mobile channel itself and the relevance of their message,” said Christine Spivey Overby, a principal analyst and co-author of the report. “In contrast to other channels, mobile is highly integrated into people’s daily activities and physical environment. This means that marketers can embrace the real-work connections with relevant location-based services and campaigns that tie mobile and on-premise advertising.”
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