Mobile

Unilever, SlimFast, Audi, and Priceline.com are among a growing number of brands embracing Mobile Relationship Marketing (MRM). All four are turning rich media engagement and relevant content into connected experiences that go from web to mobile. This white paper includes case studies on how these leading brands have met the needs and expectations of their mobile customers. The paper also includes insights into mobile advertising consumption and consumer attitudes towards these new mobile channels of interaction.

The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) unveils the publication of “The Current State & Promise of Mobile Couponing” as part of the MMA Mobile MarketingUpdates. The primer explores the benefits that mobile couponing offers for marketers to connect with consumers at the point of sale and across the purchase funnel.

For mobile advertising to succeed as a viable opportunity for advertisers, mobile needs to learn to value its own inventory better than it currently does — and convey the perception of that value to marketers.

A joint study by the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) and MediaVest, revealed a staggering 96 percent of marketers currently use or are planning to incorporate mobile marketing into their marketing mix, with 85 percent reporting an intent to raise their mobile budgets in the near future.

eMarketer estimates that 1.7 billion people around the world will access the internet via a mobile device in 2013. By 2016, there will be a staggering 2.5 billion mobile internet users worldwide. As internet usage increasingly takes place on mobile devices—and particularly on smartphones—it is important to understand how consumers’ internet behavior is adapting to these new devices.

Mobile ad spending around the world more than doubled last year, eMarketer estimates, and though growth will moderate this year, double-digit increases in mobile ad spending will continue in coming years as outlays approach $37 billion by 2016.

Some 13% of those ages 16 and older have visited library websites or otherwise accessed library services by mobile device. This is the first reading in a national survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project on this subject.

As consumers increasingly rely on smartphones as a major source of Internet access, a new GfK analysis shows that social media represents by far the largest share of online time via these devices. Social sites and activities account for almost one-third (31%) of smartphone online minutes – double the proportion for email, which ranks second at 16%.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and its Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence released “The IAB Mobile Phone Video Diaries,” research that shows that 63 percent of digital video screening on mobile phones does not happen on-the-go, but rather at home. Over a third (36%) of these home-based digital video activities happen in a room where a second screen – a TV, desktop computer or tablet – is also available for viewing purposes. These findings combine to point to significant cross-media opportunities for brand marketers, whether tying mobile digital video to live television programming or linking magazine ads to relevant mobile clips.

The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) unveiled the seventh edition of the “U.S. Consumer Best Practices for Messaging” (CBP 7.0). These best practices provide guidance to activate common short code messaging programs over U.S. carrier networks.

Tapjoy released “The Mobile In-App Marketing Opportunity” findings study, conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Tapjoy. The commissioned study shows consumer-controlled, incentive-based advertising can increase ad relevancy, consumer sentiment and attention toward the advertisement.

The Federal Trade Commission issued a new staff report, “Mobile Apps for Kids: Disclosures report cover Still Not Making the Grade,” examining the privacy disclosures and practices of apps offered for children in the Google Play and Apple App stores. The report details the results of the FTC’s second survey of kids’ mobile apps.

Consumers continue to spend more time with mobile apps, thanks in large part to the growing number of minutes spent with mobile games. According to December data from mobile app analytics company Flurry, US consumers spent an average 127 minutes on mobile apps per day. That’s up 35% from 94 minutes spent per day in December 2011.

The promise of Mobile Qualitative Research is huge, and incredibly exciting: Real time, immediate, unobtrusive access to respondents. In a space that can feel fatigued by tried-and-true methodologies and even knowing and experienced respondents, mobile qualitative feels like a fresh and authentic way to engage people as people (not as consumers).

Financial services firm Cowen and Company surveyed 50 major US ad buyers in various industries in September and found that eight in 10 planned to increase their mobile advertising in the next 12 to 18 months. By the end of that time period more than three-quarters of respondents expected to devote at least 5% of their total ad budget to mobile.