EARLY ADOPTERS

Run with the Big Dogs.

In 2008, Chief Marketing Officers at major brands make it clear that they intend to make mobile marketing a much larger part of their marketing mix. Retail, Restaurant, Hospitality, Travel, and Banking are just a few of the industries that realize that the mobile strategy has the potential to be the most personalized media channel ever.

Mobile marketing generates a 15% to 20% response rate vs. a 1% response rate with conventional media. "One of the best locations for a number-two brand is across the street from the leader." Al Ries, one of the world's best-known marketing strategists. Currently, there are no number-one or number-two brands for Mobile Web Publishing for restaurants, retail, grocery, hospitality.

Ads on the wireless Web rose sharply in 2007. Advertisers are now spending between $75,000 to $300,000 on typical wireless web campaigns. Anheuser-Busch, American Express and others have released their standard TV ads on cell phone video services. For the first time, in 2008, short video ads were customized for cell phone viewing.

Several blue-chip brands like Nokia Corp. and McDonald's Corp. have been experimenting with interactive ads on cell phones taking advantage of the device's ability to know where you are. Customers have the option of finding the nearest retail or restaurant location with the press of a button.

Cell phone carriers including Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T (formerly Cingular) are rolling out advertising on mobile phone screens, promising content at reduced prices. Other carriers, like Virgin Mobile USA, are rewarding customers for viewing ads by lowering their cell phone bills.