The 7th Mass Media

The Mobile Phone has been touted as the 7th Mass Media after the Internet and conventional mass mediums. This should not come as a surprise as Mobile Phones is a very personal possession and provides a direct reach to individuals. In 2006, global mobile advertisements spending accounted around USD$871 million, which was only around 0.19% of total global advertisement spending of USD$450 billion (report by Informa Telecoms & Media).

However, Mobile Operators globally should be taking Mobile Advertising as a serious new service revenue generator because:

• Global Mobile Advertising spending is expected to hit USD$13.862 billion in 2011 according to eMarketer, a digital marketing and media research company.
• A survey conducted in 2005 by Marketing Sherpa among ad:tech attendees indicated that US online marketers rate Mobile Advertising as the top tied emerging tactic which they would experiment in.
• With mobile subscriptions expecting to hit 4 billion subscribers by the end of 2008 and with an estimated global population of 6.7 billion in the same period of time, it provides a very huge advert penetration potential.
• According to Tomi Ahonen in his book “Mobile as the 7th of the Mass Media”, by end of 2007 mobile phones outnumbers TV sets by 2 to 1, Internet users by nearly 3 to 1 and the total PCs 4 to 1, making it a very viable media to advertise on.
• A study by Nielsen Mobile in 2007 shows that more than half of mobile data subscribers (51%) whom saw a mobile advertisement, responded to it by sending a text-message, clicking on it or calling a specific number.
• According to a quote by Morgan Stanley in 2007, 91% of mobile phone users keep their mobile phones within arm reach 24 hours, 7 days a week and 365 days a year.

Looking at the key reasons above, the importance of Mobile Advertising as an emerging service cannot be taken lightly. Mocean Mobile Advertising solution allows Mobile Operators to prepare for this new marketing wave and start capitalising on its revenue potential.