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Privacy no longer an issue in mobile: OMMA Mobile panelist

NEW YORK ? A panelist at OMMA Global said that privacy is no longer a big issue among brands and consumers.

During the "Hyperconnected, Empowered Consumer" panel, speakers discussed how users are no longer merely a connected society, but are a hyperconnected one. The panel was moderated by Adam Penenberg, associate professor of journalism at NYU, New York.
 
"If you're still worrying about privacy, you shouldn't," said Faith Popcorn, founder/CEO of Faith Popcorn's BrainReserve, New York. "That's over."

According to Ms. Popcorn, our DNA is changing with this hyperconnectivity.

"It's almost impossible to do one thing at a time now," Ms. Popcorn said.

The executive said that intimacy is an important thing to have between companies and consumers.

However, many companies still lack that.

"An intimacy with the company could define success," Ms. Popcorn said. "That human quality is still very important and most companies just don't have it.

"Marketing success is defined by intimacy with a company," she said. "You have to believe that they are on your side."

Paul Isakson, director of strategy at Colle+McVoy, St. Paul, MN, said that it is tough to put the right message in front of users because of the many different screens in front of them. 

"The couch is the new media command central with TV, iPad and smarpthones all going at once," Mr. Isakson said. "It's a challenge to put the right content in from of the right people.

"It's about looking at what the behavior is and people's desires," he said. "You have to have people engage with you."

According to Mr. Isakson, The recent American Express and foursquare partnership is a good example of a mobile advertising campaign that worked well. 

In June, American Express and foursquare teamed up to offer cardmembers exclusive mobile offers from H&M, Sports Authority and Union Square Hospitality Group.

The partnership enables American Express cardmembers to link their foursquare accounts to their cards to load and redeem merchant specials. The partnership will also let consumers redeem offers without the need for coupons, special codes or by having to show their mobile devices to cashiers at the point-of-sale.

"Brands are finding interesting ways to use mobile and integrate that into their programs," Mr. Isakson said. "It all comes down to understanding what users are doing with their mobile phones and trying to understand problems they have in their lives and trying to save that with technology.

"Whether they're playing games or looking for information you just have to try to understand that behavior - that should drive your approach," he said.

Sheryl Connelly, manager of global terms and futuring at Ford Motor Co., Detroit, said that information addiction plus time poverty equals distracted driving.

"When you have information at your fingertips, you're able to control the environment," Ms. Connelly said. "We think consumers are much more inclined to scrutinize the world around them.

According to Ms. Connelly, consumers want that information and connectivity no matter where they are.

"It's much more dangerous when you're behind the wheel," Ms. Connelly said. "Our platform Sync integrates it into the vehicle."

Final Take
Here is a demo of the Ford Sync technology