Debunking Mobile Myths

The iLoop Mobile website has a nice page called Debunking Mobile Myths.

Here’s their myth-list:

The mobile channel is not effective for marketing.

Mobile phone penetration in the US is over 90%. 87 million people were text messaging users in May 2007, and another 20 million were browsing information on their phones. Over 75% of mobile subscribers 18-34 use messaging, and 1 in 3 surf the Internet on their phones. 20% of users OVER 65 use mobile messaging. These numbers are growing by the month. The mobile phone is quickly becoming a significant channel for communications and content consumption.

Mobile is exclusively a youth marketing channel.

True, mobile data use skews heavy in 13-24 demo, but the average age for text messaging is over 30 and most mobile technologies like mobile Internet and content consumption are moving upwards extremely rapidly to where the primed demographic for mobile marketing can be defined as 13-34.

Mobile marketing is intrusive and unwanted.

Mobile marketing is anything but intrusive. Protected by mobile operator regulations and industry best practices, mobile marketing is by definition permission based marketing to receptive consumers. Unlike the online world, spam is not permitted and only requested messaging can be sent to a mobile consumer.

You need an opt-in database for mobile.

Mobile marketing is not forced advertising, but opt-in experiential marketing and brand interactivity. Unlike traditional advertising, it offers something to the consumer that is compelling and win/win for the consumer and brand alike.

Mobile’s about cutting edge, sexy technology.

No. Mobile marketing is about applying the right strategies and tactics to achieve the planned marketing objectives. Certain sexy but bleeding edge mobile technologies are not ready for mass marketing, where others like text messaging enjoy mass adoption. Just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should do it. Choose the right tool for the right job.

Nice one, iLoop!