Mobile Marketing Interest Unchanged Since Last Year

In the past year, consumers haven’t changed their attitudes toward mobile marketing, according the “2008 Mobile Attitude & Usage Study” of the U.S. market released by the Mobile Marketing Association and with research conducted by Synovate.

Where the study sees promise is an increase in text message use and subscription to alerts. The percentage of consumers interested in mobile marketing has remained even for the past four years of the study, however. Of the total audience, 6 percent say they are highly interested in mobile marketing, 20 percent are moderately interested, and 75 percent aren’t interested. The percentages are roughly the same for the 18 and over group: 6 percent are highly interested, 19 percent are moderately interested, and 75 percent aren’t interested.

Participation in mobile marketing efforts is higher among those between 18 and 44 years old. The 18 to 24 year olds are the highest group, with 12 percent participation; 8 percent of those 25 to 34 years old and 7 percent of those 35 to 44 years old partake in mobile marketing. In total an average 6 percent of consumers, including teens to those over 55, take part in mobile marketing efforts. In 2008, participation rates were higher than in the past three years.

In 2008, the top mobile marketing categories included:

• Text-to-win or voting campaigns: 48 percent
• Ringtone downloads: 28 percent
• Status alerts: 25 percent
• Sales alerts: 24 percent
• Mobile coupons: 22 percent
• Product information: 21 percent
• Mobile customer care: 13 percent
• Location-based information: 6 percent

An increase in the volume of text messaging and nonvoice features on mobile phones suggests consumers view their handsets as more than just mobile phones, according to the study.

“Continued increases in text messaging behaviors pave the way for mobile messaging and marketing,” said Beth Ritchey, vice president, Synovate Tech and Telecom, in a report. “Creating strong opportunities for mobile marketers, the pervasiveness of mobile phones in Americans’ daily lives suggests that marketing applications are a natural extension of consumers’ ever-increasing reliance on mobile devices.”

The study consisted of 1,405 online interviews using a nationally representative consumer online panel of over 1.5 million households.