Mobile

Mobile phone adoption in Mexico has been slow, hobbled by general economic conditions and by a lack of competition in the mobile space. And yet there are clear signs of mobile growth on the horizon, according to a new eMarketer report, “Mobile Mexico: Overcoming Obstacles to Growth.”

With 2012 marking the first holiday shopping season where the majority of mobile subscribers own smartphones, today’s shoppers are better equipped than ever to find the best deals and get feedback about products on their shopping lists—anytime, anywhere. From pre-purchase research, to sharing an exciting find with friends, new data from Nielsen shows that smartphone and tablet owners are embracing their devices to make the most of their shopping experience.

Some 85% of American adults own a cell phone, and these mobile devices now play a central role in many aspects of their owners’ lives according to a new survey. For many cell owners, their phone is an essential utility that they check frequently, keep close at all times, and would have trouble functioning without.

The AdReaction 2012 study was conducted using qualitative and/or quantitative methodologies across 18 countries. The study was designed to understand what marketers need to know to explore advertising in the mobile space with confidence.

For years, marketers emphasized a build-for-the-desktop-first approach, with mobile serving as little more than a sideshow. However, rapid advances in smartphone and tablet ownership have changed that equation.

Savvy businesses are stepping up their mobile activities, not only in terms of content and marketing, but also in terms of customer service and support. According to a study by SAP and Social Media Today, 38% of companies surveyed worldwide in 2012 offered customer service through the mobile channel.

As mobile increasingly becomes a keystone in the holiday campaigns of brand marketers, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and its Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence, in partnership with Prosper Mobile Insights, released its second annual “Mobile Shoppers” study.

In the US, mass ownership of smartphones has made the mobile internet a normal part of life for a large chunk of the population, and when on the go, one key activity for many consumers is a basic biological one: finding the next meal.

One in three cell phone owners (31%) have used their phone to look for health information. In a comparable, national survey conducted two years ago, 17% of cell phone owners had used their phones to look for health advice.

National brands’ investment in local digital marketing is on the rise. According to local-marketing automation company Balihoo’s September survey of marketers in North America, 35.9% planned to boost their local digital dollars in 2013; just 6.8% planned to decrease spending.

Shoppers are checking their phones in ever-greater numbers while they browse brick-and-mortar stores, and marketers are targeting them with offers and information to help encourage purchase at the last mile. But according to research from branding solutions provider G2 USA and Savitz Research, consumers do not appreciate when those mobile in-store technology offerings don’t work, and are likely to fault the brand for the inconvenience—a situation that does not bode well for sales.

The mobile ad market is headed up fast, and marketers and publishers alike are paying attention. Ad sellers are offering more inventory than ever, and potential buyers are knocking at the gates.

The shift to mobile is on. According to eMarketer estimates, time spent using mobile devices for activities such as internet and app use, gaming, music and others has more than doubled in the past two years.

The medium is still maturing. There currently is a lack of proven brand case studies, and as a result there are more direct-response advertisers driving CPC or CPA ad models than there are CPM-driven brand advertisers. The ad formats are still in flux, and the growth rate for consumer use is so steep that standard metrics for success are almost obsolete by the time they are published.

A new analysis of information from the Hispanic InsightCenter by BIGinsight identifies an increase in viewing news on a mobile device along with a decrease of regular newspaper readership among Hispanics. Although newspapers are down, they are certainly not out. This traditional print media is still influential on Hispanics’ purchase decisions, but there is a growing opportunity for mobile advertising among this more tech-savvy group.