• by Kirk Drummond , July 22, 2008

With the release of the new iPhone 3G, Apple has once again given innovative brands and advertisers reason to sit up and take notice. Full of juicy new additions, the iPhone 3G has three features in particular that top my list of mobile marketing goodness.

The first-gen iPhone gave us "the Internet in your pocket" by providing owners with a fully functional browser capable of properly displaying standard Web pages, including associated display advertising. Transitioning to 3G untethers iPhone owners from the slower EDGE network, likely sparking an increase in consumption, giving advertisers greater access to mobile audiences.

Although not new to mobile phones, the inclusion of GPS and location-based services and the integration between Google Maps, Safari and future third-party applications may open up new opportunities for hyper-local mobile advertising. How's that for knowing your audience?

With the earlier release of an SDK and the newly launched App Store, the iPhone is now an open platform allowing the development and installation of a range of applications and providing brands direct integration into the iPhone experience.

Not only is Wall Street expecting upward of 29 million iPhone sales in 2009, Apple's influence reaches well beyond its own product, driving innovation throughout the industry. That's good news for consumers - and advertisers.

Kirk Drummond is cofounder and CEO of Drumroll, an interactive agency creating innovative brand experiences and strategies. (kirk@drumroll.com)