• by Laura Marriott , October 3, 2011

Consumers are mobile. 58% of US smartphone users access the mobile web from their phones, often a number of times a day, according to research from Google#. The mobile device - whether smartphone or 'simple' feature phone - has become one of the most used mass media channels available today. But more than that, it has become the most powerful because it is unique, combining a number of benefits that cannot be replicated by others such as television, radio, print or even the Internet. Due to mobile's personal, always-on nature through to the fact that mobile can capture social context and make action at the point of inspiration possible while providing the most accurate audience measurement tools of any channel, mobile is changing the way in which consumers interact with the world around them.

Mobile provides brands and marketers with an enormous opportunity to engage with target audiences in a way that has not been possible using other channels before. The consumer is looking for flexibility, convenience and control over their interactions with the brands and organizations around them and mobile provides them with this ability. It is this new situation that brands need to take into account, delivering on mobile's ability to offer relevant, local information, aid product and service research and even enable purchases "on the go". In essence, eliciting a relationship with the consumer that will deliver real return on investment.

So how should marketers leverage this powerful convergence of media and mobile? Mobile barcodes are rapidly emerging as a key means of enabling a rich media experience for consumers on the go, allowing them to quickly access content, relevant information and m-commerce services seamlessly and effectively. Mobile barcodes also enable the opportunity to customize content delivery and access according to user location and preferences - establishing a one-to-one dialogue that puts the consumer in control. As we're seeing from the brands we're working with, mobile barcodes can revitalize otherwise static media channels, bringing products, services and events to life by providing immediate access to product information, applications or consumer requested information.

Mobile barcodes are quick and easy to integrate into campaigns. They also establish the means for brands to measure their effectiveness and success to ensure that dollars are allocated optimally across their various advertising channels. Thus, mobile barcodes provide a compelling media element and many reasons to embrace them for their mobile campaigns. Indeed, with 14 million mobile phone users in the U.S. scanning mobile barcodes on their phones in June alone this year#, the market is ready to be tapped.

Laura Marriott, CEO of NeoMedia