If the hubbub at the Mobile Marketing Forum was any indication, then last week marks a turning point in the attitude to mobile marketing.

While those in the industry are already aware of mobile?s potential, the sell to brands and ad agencies takes a little more than raw passion. Marketers need to see results, and mobile marketing is at a stage where campaigns and programs are proving their budgets? worth.

This publication dedicated extensive coverage to the Mobile Marketing Forum in New York over June 8-9, featuring session speakers from brands such as Target, Hewlett-Packard, Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, MTV, CNN, Google, Microsoft and Western Union, as well as agencies such as Ogilvy & Mather and Tribal DDB.

A common thread through all these presentations was the sharp customer focus, which is the result of strategic thinking and not tactical.

Brand stand
Many marketers speaking at the show are now dedicating budgets in the millions of dollars to support mobile operations. What distinguishes them from the others that are sitting on the sidelines is the realization that if they are not mobile-friendly, then they have lost that customer to a rival that is.

The good news is that this line of thinking is becoming increasingly popular.

Does it help that Apple?s Steve Jobs and the folks at Microsoft, Yahoo, Neustar and Google are regularly pushing mobile to their clients? Yes, it does. Does it help that wireless carriers have gotten more serious in their attempt to extract targeted-advertising value for themselves, brands and mobile subscribers? Yes, it does.

So, as marketers enter the second half of this year, they must seriously work toward developing holiday programs that are not simply toe-dipping exercises.

Apple claims that it has already garnered $60 million in iAd advertiser commitments from major brand names. Good. The first brand that spends eight figures in a mobile ad campaign will win pioneer status in changing the image of a medium that ? some feel ? gains envious glances but few serious suitors.

In a sense, mobile is following the Internet?s trajectory. Marketers need to see value. They need to be convinced that an investment in the new medium is additive to their ROI-driven marketing efforts. And they need a little more wooing.

Snap back
This past Mobile Marketing Forum, the first under new Mobile Marketing Association North America boss Michael Becker, generated optimism on a level not seen for a while.

Not only was the agenda well-organized, but even the management was professional. Did it help that the elegant Waldorf=Astoria Hotel in New York was the venue? Absolutely.

An industry association that organizes itself well is one that will be taken seriously. It speaks for an industry that is the future of marketing.

Mr. Becker and his team have put into place a series of programs designed to educate marketers on the ins and outs of mobile marketing. It is worth supporting those efforts.

Going forward, the Mobile Marketing Association must ride this momentum to convince marketers to not only conduct mobile marketing programs on a bigger scale, but ones that are highly customer-focused, linked to other channels, respectful of privacy and ROI-driven.

It was a smart move to welcome back at last week?s show former Kodak chief marketing officer Jeff Hayzlett, author of the recently published self-help book for business, ?The Mirror Test.?

Known for his blustery and no-nonsense style with a dose of levity, Mr. Hayzlett encouraged attendees to take a second look at their business practices. Business-as-usual wouldn?t just cut it anymore in this economy.

To underscore the mobile phone?s importance to today?s customer, Mr. Hayzlett grabbed two phones from a couple of delegates, asking them how they felt without those lifelines. But he forgot the audience he was addressing. ?I?ve got two more,? said one of the delegates.