Brand Republic
 
Edition:
UK |
Asia
 
Digital jobs

Jobs

Find over 3000 jobs
 

Directory

 

MadScam

Mobile Mania! 

Comments:7   Add your comment

With all the current hype about the promise of "mobile"... You know, the constant barrage of how from now on everyone will be watching Star Wars on their cell phone, with ad breaks every ten minutes, or until the battery runs out just as Darth Vador is about to kick Luke Skywalker's arse...

I am beginning to think back to the halcyon days of the late nineties, just before the dot com bubble burst. Remember when we were told to forget about actually selling stuff and making a profit, 'cos it was all about building the audience? The phone biz is smelling just like that right now. Because it seems to me that no one is answering any of the basic questions, like what role mobile media plays in a larger campaign or as an essential element in the overall media strategy for a brand.

In other words, what is it that mobile is supposed to do that can't be achieved with other media choices? What essential role does it play? Forget that it's "hot" or even "cool." Just tell me why I should use it and what benefits I will derive from doing so. That's not too much to ask, is it?

Published Apr 25 2008, 11:36 PM by George Parker
Filed under:

Comments

by Chris Bourke, Mobext (Havas Digital)
April 29, 2008 7:28 AM
 
An excellent question George and one that we're inching closer towards answering. We've helped a number of global brands including Procter & Gamble and Diageo trial mobile advertising and they also seek to learn where it fits into their comms strategy. I believe that mobile is the only medium that allows advertisers to bi-directionallly interact - digitally - during the daily commute slots. Ambient outdoor and print traditionally filled part of this role (and will always do so) but as brands shift strategy and budget away from unidirectional comms to interactive then mobile will play a crucial role in reaching consumers on the move in the 7-9am and 5-7pm day parts. You might argue that outdoor is going digital but the only way to have a 2-way digital conversation with a consumer during these vital (and tradtionally prime time) slots is by mobile as they will be nowhere near their PC's. We're about to launch the results of a major usage and attitude survey into mobile media in the UK and one titbit I can share with you is that 'regular' users of mobile media spend less time reading newspapers. If these heavy users are a harbinger of the masses then we'll all be 'heads down' looking at 2x2 screens on the way to work; if this happens then advertisers will scramble to buy space on it.
 
 
by Paul Ashby
April 29, 2008 11:00 AM
 
Good Lord George, you of all people know that the inmates have taken charge of the asylum! Not only is the insanity of Mobile advertising taking hold, so is the insanity of Web 2.0 Interestingly in a recent survey when asked, 86% of those interviewed said they wanted a mobile phone to "just talk to a friend" and that they "didn't want advertising". However as the response above confirms the inmates have definitely taken over the asylum!
 
 
by stuart brown
April 29, 2008 11:37 AM
 
George – Why use Mobile? Because you can. It’s all about choice for the consumer. They decide how they access their content of choice. STUART – Mediaburst Ltd
 
 
by Chris Bourke, Mobext (Havas Digital)
April 29, 2008 2:01 PM
 
Paul, had you been there I suspect you would've argued with the Bulova Watch Company on July 1, 1941 - when they bought the first ever TV ad spot in history - that they should spend their money on a consumer panel rather than TV. TV is for watching programming right? Advertising could never work on it.... The train has left the station. Don't like web 2.0? Mobile will be Web 3.0 so I guess that will get your goat too. The mediums change and the pace of technology will make 'mobile' redundant in time too. The first newspaper ad was printed in 1704...three hundred years later the format is still here. But Mobile Advertising may not mean display advertising...it'll be interactive for sure..but its form is evolving; and looking at the history of print ads, we've got a little time to get it right.
 
 
by Paul Ashby
April 29, 2008 2:12 PM
 
“That’s not too much to ask is it”? George I am surprised with you. The lack of sensitivity show in your responses is indicative as to how far advertising has fallen. “Top-down-Management” in all its glory, “Do as I say, watch my ads on the mobile and then buy the products” Forgetting as they have elsewhere, that customers have not really taken delivery of their advertisements anywhere else. And certainly ignoring the word “clutter”, hey ho lets slap a few more ads on the ‘phone, the fact that there is evidence that clutter is now starting to have a negative impact on customers attitude towards brands! Ignore the fact that elsewhere the whole effectiveness of advertising is coming under intense scrutiny, and certainly ignore the fact that now a days advertising people are close to admitting that “the system is broke and it cannot be fixed”. Hell no lets slap a few more ads anywhere bloody where! And to hell with accountability!
 
 
by George Parker
April 29, 2008 11:58 PM
 
Guys... I certainly seemed to have opened a can of worms here. Chris and Paul obviously have very different points of view. I am undecided... I have to admit, as you may guess from the content of my post, I am somewhat questioning if the mobile platform will do everything it is currently being hyped to do... Remember "The Jetsons" had "Video Phones" and jet cars 50 years ago... We're still waiting for high quality, real time video conferencing... All I'm saying is we shouldn't get carried away with all the shit we constantly hear. My next book, which I am burning the midnight oil, and lots of scotch to finish is called "The Ubiquitous Persuaders." The key word being ubiquitous... Cos this shit is everywhere... And is increasingly less effective. I have no axe to grind here... I do not have the answers... However your comments will be much appreciated. Either here or by email. Cheers/George
 
 
by George Nimeh
May 1, 2008 4:47 PM
 
It is certainly the future. The question is, "Is it the present?" Other than directory look-ups and now a maps thanks to ease-of-use on the iPhone, it is still a very limited environment. The market hype is not living up to reality at the moment. I think it warrants massive investment and tempered expectations in the short-term. Unfortunately, like George pointed out so well, the problem is that people are treating the whole thing the same way as the web 10 years ago. People, not profit. No business models. And so on ... The fact that the manufacturer stocks are plunging at the moment (Nokia, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and co.) doesn't help much, either. ~G~
 
To comment on this post you have to be logged in

 

About this blog

MadScam

An ex-pat Brit's "Take-no-Prisoners" look at the current American ad scene in all its horror and desperation!
 

About the author

George Parker

Blogging for:

MadScam

Member since: 03 Jun 2008

Last login: 17 Nov 2009

Total Posts: 831

 
 
 
 

Tags

 

Syndication