- NY Times, Monday, January 16, 2006 10:18 AM
Mobile marketing is evolving fast, leaving marketers to dream (impatiently) about the days when global positioning systems allow retailers to send ads to cell users when they're a few blocks away from
one of their stores. Advocates call this kind of targeting a potential "silver bullet," but privacy groups, of course, are worried marketers are going after a place that's as private to some as their
pocket book. However, it's illegal for wireless carriers to sell consumers' cell numbers to advertisers; in fact, carriers cannot divulge any information at all without users' permission. This means
that carriers and advertisers are looking for ways to incentivize users into receiving ads through promotions and/or reduced monthly fees in exchange for letting advertisers pitch to them from time to
time. Currently the practice hasn't evolved past text messages for promotional offers and text ads in the margins of mobile Web browsers, but according to
The New York Times, Verizon Wireless
and Sprint Nextel will start testing consumers' response to video ads in March. ESPN Mobile, a new mobile branch from the sports network, will run short video clips from advertisers like Nike, Visa,
and Hilton Hotels, while other advertisers like American Express, Microsoft and Pepsi are also preparing mobile video campaigns.
Read the whole story at NY Times »
