Executives from brands agree that mobile payments, location, ticketing and incorporating mobile into a 360-degree marketing effort will be pivotal in 2012.

Mobile Marketer asked four brands what they expect to be the next big thing in mobile for 2012. Here is what they said:

I think what mobile and the explosion in apps has exposed is that people are not going to necessarily consume the Web and those services purely from desktop computers anymore. I think we will continue to see more ways to integrate Web and technology with traditional in-store shopping. With smartphones, tablets and Wi-Fi, people can now Google a place to have dinner right from their phones on a sidewalk without having to sit down in front of a computer.

Specifically for ecommerce, mobile allows customers to be inside a store, read reviews about the product they have in front of them, comparison shop and then eventually order the item. Beyond reviews and price comparison, smartphones also allow customers to tap their social network quickly and get feedback prior to a purchase.

At Seamless, we have seen tremendous adoption of our mobile applications in the last year, with more than 25 percent of orders being placed through one of our three mobile platforms ? iPhone, Android and Blackberry.

Ultimately, this benefits our local restaurant partners that use Seamless' powerful marketing tool to leverage geolocation and special offers to acquire new customers and drive sales.

How that manifests itself for other retailers, whether via apps, text messaging, mobile sites or other experiences, depends on what makes the most sense for the type of business that they are in. Ultimately, it's about giving consumers convenient access and a relevant connection with brands via their mobile devices. Mobile is a key strategic pillar for Taco Bell digital marketing.

Much of our effort moving forward is to advance the brand as a leader in this space.

Since mobile devices are more an extension of our consumers' everyday lives, this is an area where the brand will continue to evolve, innovate and provide a relevant, yet distinct experience.

Our network of Mobile Ticket theaters is expanding.

Currently it is available at 1,200 screens and we are expecting to add another 1,000 screens this year. It is an added convenience that moviegoers are requesting and using.

More than 20 percent of our Fandango?s tickets are sold via mobile devices and that number should rise to at least 30 percent by year?s end. We expect to see more moviegoer conveniences, such as more reserved seating via mobile, by the end of the year.?

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York