By Patricia Clark

Mobile marketing this holiday season will be fast out of the gate, ubiquitous, sensitive in tone and message and designed to start a conversation between consumers and marketers that will continue long after the holiday season ends.

Marketers are very tuned-in to consumers' feelings this season, from straightforward concerns over price and value, to the emotional understanding that for many this season may not be particularly happy. Bling, excess, irony and entitlement are out. Value, family, utility, action taking and mobile are in.

This season we are seeing clients planning to offer holiday value and holiday fun via mobile. Brands see mobile as a very personal medium, so they are creating seeking interactions that speak to consumers real interests.

Also, this season it is about unique special offers, special promotions and brand affiliation. Whether it is a "shopping days countdown," SMS sales alerts or applications that help you find the perfect gift, the focus is on giving consumers what they want.

Kim Luegers, director of media innovations for Draftfcb, says the time to act is now. Her advice to marketers is to get in front of your mobile partners immediately, if you have not already.

Brief partners on your holiday marketing goals and objectives and turn them loose, Ms. Luegers says. You might just be surprised with the custom packages you get back. Your mobile partners want to see your clients succeed just as much as you do.

Frank O'Brien, the founder of Conversation, says holiday 2009 is about the message, more than the tactics. He is seeing fewer gimmicks, and a greater emphasis on traditional holiday spirit, given the challenging economy and the job losses so many are facing.

Mr. O'Brien says mobile is included for all his clients this season, most often as a response mechanism and CRM tool. Mobile offers both a method and a reason for the consumer to respond.

Across categories Mr. O'Brien sees mobile as central this holiday season and cited pharmaceutical companies using it on shelf talkers to allow the consumer to find out more about the product or brand.

A cosmetics brand is using text-to-win around holiday traditions, making the message as inclusive as possible.

Mr. O'Brien says text messaging is underutilized and cites research showing the 18-49 age group uses it more than applications.

Mobile's a wrap
Josh Martin, vice president and director of emerging media at ID Media, sees great holiday promise in applications. The rich experiences possible with video pre-roll, interstitials and other dynamic ad units all provide a strong positive user experience, and enable marketers to fully showcase their products.

Mr. Martin says clients are specifically engaging with SMS this holiday season, primarily as an alternative call to action, offering coupons and promotions, and inviting consumers to subscribe to text message alerts with special alerts on sales dates.

JP Finnell, founder of both Mobility Partners and Mobile Monday Mid-Atlantic, says mobile will not only help marketers get opt-ins this season.

Marketers will also use mobile to smooth out the revenue from special-offer promotions after the holiday season. They will take the in-store data capture and remarket to those consumers via mobile, thereby extending the physical market experience to the phone.

Mr. Finnell sees mobile applications as creating cross-sell and upsell opportunities, providing a chance to recommend other items that may be of interest to a consumer.

Given how vital clear ROI is in the this environment, Mr. Finnell notes that the metrics available in mobile, such as click-through rates, number of signups, coupon downloads, store location queries and direct calls are all critical feedback that agencies will be demanding this season, more than ever.

A large number of mobile applications will be working to make the consumer holiday shopping experience as easy and as fun as possible.

From the hundreds of marketers with their own iPhone applications to companies such as Cerado which enable consumers to have all their shopping loyalty cards with them at all times via their mobile phones, it is clear that the mobile advertising industry is dedicated to providing value, entertainment and results to the market.

Mobile will provide marketers and consumers with savings, relevance, convenience and non-stop solutions this holiday season.

Patricia Clark is vice president of sales at SMS marketing specialist 4Info, New York. Reach her at .