May 2008
Mobile to US: Can You Hear Me Now?
In the US we’re constantly reminded to “get •
Integrate & Infiltrate. Integrating mobile with broader
campaigns spanning multiple mediums – Internet, TV,
in while the getting’s good” and that “you
radio and print – provides a wider range touch points that
snooze, you lose”.
will help reach consumers from all angles.
The result is that generally we’re early adopters, proud
•
Zero In. Mobile offers marketers unique opportunities for
of our advances in technology and communications
location-based targeting – with several carriers teaming
and ready, willing and eager to be the first to experience
up with social mapping sites. (Like they say here in New
new products and new ideas. So it’s a bit of a surprise
York as they do in all major cities across the world: Loca-
when the US consumer behaves like a Luddite.
tion, Location, Location!)
Luddites or technology resisters are named after
British farm-worker -turned-Industrial Revolution rebel Ned
•
American Idle. Idle-screen advertising is an untapped
Ludd. He thought he could stop the Industrial Revolution
area. Users download software in return for a service fee
by urging his co-workers to destroy the textile machines
discount, and then ads pop up while the device is not
that were destroying their jobs.
being used. If employed as an opt-in service, it could help
Unfortunately for him, the Revolution was coming
alleviate concerns about both personal privacy and
whether he liked it or not – and today’s Mobile Revolution
additional spam.
is no different.
Across the main types of social media, the US is an
In Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point he points out that
alpha country, ranked top in several categories. But we’re
communications technology is useless until other people
Luddites when it comes to mobile.
have the same technology – the more ubiquitous
For example, among regular US internet users only
the methods of communication, the more indispensible
64% had sent an SMS text, compared with a global
they become.
average of 87%; the average US user sent 39 texts a
The flipside of this equation is a comment from Mo
month, compared with 93 globally.
Rocca, CBS’s Cultural Correspondent: “55% of people in the
Like the textile machines that sparked Ludd’s riots,
UK – one of the world’s most advanced mobile markets –
global proliferation of mobile is a reality: it’s time for the US
suffer from a condition called Nomophobia – the fear of
to catch up.
being out of mobile phone contact. Therein lies the genius
Here are just five ways that advertisers can add
of the minds behind this technology.”
mobile to their mix:
Both arguments make a strong case for mobile adver-
tising. The mass adoption of mobile should herald a major
•
Baby Steps. Text-based ads are simple, straightfor-
second online communications era that adds a whole new
ward, a good place to start –with 51% adoption, text
generation of advertising opportunities to the media palette.
messaging is the most common mobile data activity
It’s time to stop snoozing and get in while the
in the U.S.
getting’s good.
•
Surf Smart. When it comes to buying media, explore
options with prominent mobile sites like ESPN, The
Graeme Hutton
Weather Channel and USA Today – 4% of cell phone
customers use mobile search, so search sites should SVP Director of Consumer Insights
,
be in the mix as well.
graeme.hutton@universalmccann.com