Panelists at the OMMA Mobile conference on Friday said that the influx (however small) of ad dollars into emerging channels like mobile has triggered a shift in the way brands -- and consequently
their agencies -- do business.
Restructuring at agencies like Starcom USA and Publicis' Optimedia has been focused on integration between traditional and emerging media divisions, so that
the creative, planning and buying teams share the same vision from a campaign's onset.
"It's about aligning with the way that consumers are using media, so that we can understand how the
messages on different channels interact," said Andrea Kerr Redniss, senior vice president, managing director, Optimedia. "Then we figure out where mobile would fit best."
The agency execs
agreed that mobile's value as a personalized communication channel was best leveraged as part of a larger strategy -- expanding the role of print, out-of-home and TV, said David Rosner, innovations
director, Initiative North America.
Angela Steele, Starcom USA's mobile activation director added, "Mobile cannot live in a silo. It has to be part of a broader campaign."
The agency
ecosystem shift also extends to campaign performance measurement, so while standards like GRPs and CPMs still determine the ratio of dollars spent, ROI is increasingly being gauged by levels of
consumer interaction and impact.
"The CPM is one of the most antiquated means of measurement, but it's the medium that we work with," said Steele. "But clients are learning that the outcome needs
to tie back to the impact, more so than just hitting an eyeball."
The panel also acknowledged that the current limitations -- from technology hurdles, to consumer aversion, to a lack of
comprehensive research -- still prevent a majority of brands from making significant mobile budget allocations.
"[Mobile is] a great way to engage consumers one-on-one, but clients are still
concerned about bombarding them with messages on their cell phones," said Redniss.
And they should be, since a recent survey by Ingenio found that an overwhelming majority (84%) of consumers
found unsolicited mobile advertising "not at all acceptable." It's a factor that the agency execs said reinforces the need to create campaigns with a clear opt-in indication.
With a recurring
text message campaign for example, "You have to get consumer permission," said Nihal Mehta, CEO, IPSH. "Then you ask them again, and you tell them when they'll get the messages, and at what frequency
-- being as transparent as possible."