New kinds of ads targeting the iPhone 3G user

Advertisers and cellphones haven't had the greatest marriage so far: Many cellphone users recoil when ads pop up on their most personal device. And for advertisers, the marketing messages lack the richness, screen size and interactivity of the PC.

But that might be changing, whether cellphone users want more ads or not. This week, AdMob, a San Mateo, Calif.-based mobile advertising firm, launched a marketplace for ads on the iPhone 3G that includes such big brands such as Ford, Electronic Arts, Universal Pictures, Land Rover and Jaguar. AdMob's aim: Serve up a new kind of engaging mobile ad that will spur more sales of advertisements targeting mobile phones.

What can the new ads do on the iPhone 3G, Apple's second version of its phone? The ads are more engaging, use more maps and video, and give people more options, said Jason Spero, AdMob's vice president of marketing. The iPhone 3G has GPS built in and can push targeted, location-based advertising to the iPhone user, if asked for by the user.

Do cellphone users want ads, even good ones, on something as intimate as their mobile phone? Many don't. Almost all hate spam. But ads help pay the bills for the companies offering free services and content that can be found on the iPhone. And people are clicking on the ads on their cellphones, 1% to 2% of the times a mobile ad is seen, said Spero. "Mobile people are responding to the ads."

Universal Pictures is promoting its upcoming film "The Mummy" with an iPhone ad that employs the same sort of interactivity one would find on a PC (the ad on the iPhone version of MovieTickets.com is pictured above). "But it's a step up from what mobile advertising has been," said Doug Neil, Universal Pictures' senior vice president of digital marketing.

Advertising on the mobile Web is where advertising was 10 years ago with the Web itself, Neil said. "We know this device is critical to consumers," he said. "There must be a way to connect with them."

Many advertisers just want to connect with the kind of person who would buy an iPhone.  The first wave of iPhone owners were predominantly young, male and technology-oriented. It's the second wave that has caught advertisers' eyes: the 30-something woman with disposable income.

And since they bought the iPhone, they are more open to seeing mobile ads. "They've bought this device to use the Web on the go," Spero said.

-- Michelle Quinn

Photo: An ad for Universal Pictures' "The Mummy" on the iPhone 3G. Credit: AdMob

Comments

[Bonnie]

Count me out.

However, ads on our most personal items makes sense for the seemingly terminally insecure Americans whose culture is one of, "I must get"

not, the more relaxed and secure, "I have."

Ads "for those on the go?"

Instead of believing one's own hyped up spin, consider that those on the go are, well, going. They are in fact, busy. Busy working, or busy living life - but too busy to bother checking ads they'll see elsewhere, later on, anyway.

[brian]

If marketing companies are willing to cover my monthly data plan charge, I wouldn't mind letting them put ad on my iPhone. otherwise, don't even think about it.

[Vic Arpeggio]

Intrusive web ads -- and now cellphone ads -- do one thing and one thing only to me: make me not want to see that film or buy that product.

[Helen]

NO MORE PHONE SPAM! I already get enough junk text messages (and I have no idea how these people got my number!); I don't want prettier graphics for more useless advertising.

[LK]

I got one of those adds with www.moviticket.com and I thought I would save time and order online for a movie last week. Surprise, Surprise when I was randomly checking my Credit Card activity online, I saw that not only they charged me for the the movie tickets but TWO $12.00 charges totaling $24.00. The company that charged was SHOPPERS DISCOUNT and they were given my CC info mind you UNAUTHORIZED. When I called I was placed on hold for 35 minutes (another way of see how many people give up and just eat the 24 bucks). Finally a person came on and when I asked who gave them authorization to charge my credit card they did not respond just said they will refund the money right of way. Here I am several days later and it is still not refunded. This smells like a class action suit and I hope Apple is not dumb enough to get sued like this.

Anyone else had this problem?????????????????

[Michael]

I don't see a tremendous issue with targeted marketing via the web browser on the iPhone, or other 3rd generation devices. This is nothing new. What I do have issue with is the potential for GPS data to be tracked and cataloged by advertisers. With AT&T's history of potential privacy breaches, this seems like a very poor idea.