Robert Turner on capturing the power of mobility in the advertising industry
Robert Turner recently wrote an article for AdMap magazine called “Mobile comes of age as a mainstream media channel.”
Near the beginning of the article, Robert makes this set of observations:
“There are macro factors that make mobile marketing a compelling and forceful proposition. Today’s world economy is in the boom phase of a long technology cycle, also called the ‘information age’. This cycle has three phases, of which mobility is the third, current phase.”
“Phase 1 was the ‘microprocessor age’, driven by Moore’s Law – computer chips double in power every 18 months despite getting smaller and cheaper. This enabled computers to move from mainframe to desktop.”
“Phase 2 was the ‘internet age’, driven by Metcalfe’s Law – the value of a network increases exponentially with the number of nodes. The internet was of little value to most people until enough computers, and people, were connected to it. Now you cannot operate without it.”
“Phase 3 is the ‘mobility age’, driven by McGuire’s Law – the value of a product increases with its mobility. I suggest this also means that the value of a marketing campaign increases as mobile is added. People no longer need a PC on their desk, they can use a mobile device to interact with brands.”
He then goes on to warn about the uniqueness of mobility - that it is personal and it is pocketable…
“The mobile channel provides immediacy, engagement, interactivity and instant measurement. But here is the rub: the mobile is intensely private. …so we must tread carefully.”
Along the way he provides some education for his advertising brethren before framing the right questions - how to manage the uniqueness of mobility and capture the value creation promised by the Law of Mobility.
“We must ask two questions: why would consumers accept marketing messages on their mobile, which they guard as an intensely personal device; and how can advertisers harness mobile’s exclusive and unique characteristics to deliver services their targets will welcome?”
This is exactly the thought process each industry will need to explore in determining how to capture the power of mobility.
Robert doesn’t offer any easy answers to these questions, but rather uses a series of examples to help his readers understand the complexity of winning in the new mobile era.
I recommend this article to anyone wrestling with how mobility will change the industry in which they operate!