Consumers are more plugged into their mobile devices than ever before and marketers should be taking notice, according to a new study from Jumio.

The study shows that consumers are highly attached to their phones at all times of the day, indicating that it is more important than ever for marketers to focus on mobile campaigns.

?The Harris findings offer very interesting, and in many cases unexpected, insights into how Americans are using their smartphones,? said Marc Barach, chief marketing and strategy officer of Jumio, Palo Alto CA.

?Reaching mobile consumers is a necessity given that people are constantly on their phones ? no matter how unusual the place may be ? and marketers must continue to find creative ways to engage an audience that?s quite literally never far from their phone,? he said.

The 2013 Mobile Consumer Habits study, which was conducted by Harris Interactive and released by Jumio, polled 2021 online adults in the United States, 1,102 of which were smartphone owners ages 18 and older. 

In addition to the consumers who used their phone in a place of worship, nine percent of users admitted to using their phone during sex, and 12 percent of respondents used their devices in the shower.

Constant Contact
Seventy-two percent of the study's respondents said that they were within five feet of their smartphones the majority of the time.

Additionally, 35 percent of users admitted to using their phone in a movie theater, 33 percent during a dinner date and 32 percent at a child?s or school function.

Even though most states prohibit talking or texting while driving, 55 percent admitted to using their smartphone while driving.

One of the more surprising results shows that 9 percent of adults used their phone during sex. Among respondents ages 18-34, the percentage increases to 20 percent.

Cellular protection
The study also showed that 59 percent of Americans keep their phone password protected.

This may be because 65 percent of consumers worry about theft of personal information, 58 percent worry about losing contact with others, 39 percent worry about calls being made on their behalf, 33 percent are concerned someone might log into their social profile and 26 percent are nervous that someone might use their mobile payment options.

The fact that respondents seemed to be concerned with protecting their phone also signifies the emotional connection that consumers have to their devices. It would be a travesty if they lost their phone because it is almost an extension of themselves.

Marketing implications
The Harris findings all point to one fact: consumers are attached to their phones.

For marketers, this means that mobile should be highly integrated into their strategies. They must engage with consumers through their phones because that is the easiest way to reach consumers at all times and places.

Since consumers seem to be on their phone at all times of the day, it appears that marketers can target their audience at all times of the day via mobile.

?There are two key drivers fueling market growth: the increase in consumers using mobile devices and the range of activities we conduct on our devices,? Mr. Barach said. ?Both are on the upswing in a big way.

?We?re with our phones seemingly everywhere we go, even in the most unorthodox places,? he said. ?Marketers need to hone their targeting techniques towards this very active, near captive, mobile audience. 

"That said, it?s all about providing relevant content, including ads, and marketers should be mindful to not wear out their welcome with too much intrusion and not enough relevance.?

Final Take
Rebecca Borison is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York