Report: 78M consumers remembered mobile ads last quarter

By Giselle Tsirulnik

January 11, 2008

Advertising on mobile phones

New research claims that 78 million U.S. consumers saw or heard advertising on their mobile phones in the last quarter of 2007.

The finding was published in the "Mobile Advertising Report" that was produced by mobile entertainment community Limbo in conjunction with GFK/NOP Research.

"It's here," said Rob Lawson, cofounder and president of Limbo, Burlingame, CA. "Seventy-eight million people remembering seeing advertising means that marketers are starting to run wide-ranging campaigns."

The Limbo report also highlights the brands and sectors that consumers remember seeing advertised in the mobile channel.

The most remembered advertisers among mobile carriers were Verizon Wireless and AT&T. Cable networks BET, Fox and MTV were the most remembered entertainment brands.

Rob Lawson, cofounder and president of Limbo

"Consumers are aware of mobile advertising, but there is still a huge gap between the reach and attention that consumers spend on their phones and the budgets that marketers give to the medium," Mr. Lawson said.

"This creates an interesting opportunity for marketers who can find the right mechanic to talk to engage consumers on their mobile [phones]," he said.

Limbo is known for its platform -- comprising SMS, mobile Web, mobile video, Web and email -- that integrates brands throughout games, content and community. The Limbo platform claims to deliver more than 50 branded interactions per consumer.

Meanwhile, the Limbo report also found that 56 percent of mobile users have adopted SMS.

"I think that the biggest opportunity is still in SMS," Mr. Lawson said. "Mobile TV and WAP have richer formats for the marketer, but none has comparable usage or awareness as text-based SMS."