Why Facebook's Future Is Mobile

Facebook's mobile application brings together location-based data with social networking—and provides advertisers with pinpointed targets

BusinessWeek, February 10, 2009 — With nearly 2,000 "friends" on Facebook, I should be a regular visitor to the site. I am not. Instead, I prefer to use Facebook's mobile application on my iPhone to send messages, update my status, upload photos taken on the go, and sometimes even scroll through the news feed to see what my friends are up to. The ad- and clutter-free interface has fewer distractions than the Web site and makes using Facebook a breeze.

Amazon: Armed to Beat the Recession

Analysts say the e-tailer's new iPhone shopping app, among other high-tech tools, will help it outperform rivals amid weak consumer spending

BusinessWeek, December 9, 2008 — Gary Bacon II had bargain-hunting on the brain when he visited his local Barnes & Noble (BKS) in Jacksonville, Fla., on Dec. 7. But he didn't make any purchases. Instead, the Web designer whipped out his smartphone, snapped a few photos, and headed for the exit.

Bacon was using a new feature, released by Amazon.com (AMZN) on Dec. 3, that lets users take mobile photos of items they want to buy, store them in an online shopping cart, and purchase them whenever they want—typically at a discount—via the online retailer.

To Reach Mobile Users, Make Your Marketing Useful†

Roundtable of Experts Says Smart Advertisers Will Use the Medium to Provide Consumers Something Valuable

Advertising Age, September 8, 2008 — When it comes to mobile marketing, advertisers have not only a challenge but a mandate to create something useful for consumers, according to a panel of experts Advertising Age gathered to talk about the opportunities — and potential pitfalls — of reaching consumers on their phones. Good mobile marketing, the consensus said, takes advantage of the channel's inherent traits and ties into other media.

An Unlikely Promoter Drives Nokia’s Push in Hollywood

New York Times, June 23, 2008 — Tero Ojanpera is an unlikely media entrepreneur. Mr. Ojanpera, a veteran Nokia executive, is not a fan of “American Idol,” although he says he enjoys it from time to time. And when he tried to watch a recent episode of “Hannah Montana,” one of his sons switched the channel.

But four years ago, Mr. Ojanpera and his colleagues in the research center had an epiphany: that entertainment was crucial to the future of Nokia, the Finnish mobile phone maker.

Consumers to Watch 25% More Video a Day in Five Years†

Viewing on Computers, Mobile Phones Will Drive Increase

Advertising Age, June 17, 2008 — Consumption of video content is expected to rise 25% to five hours per day by 2013, compared with the four hours now watched in 2008, according to Forrester Research. The firm suggests the increase will be driven by consumers watching programming of all grades via computers, mobile phones, portable media players and even digital photo frames.

Text Messaging Makes Magazine Ads Interactive†

Digital Technology May Be Poised to Support Traditional Ad Sales

Advertising Age, June 9, 2008 — The push to make magazine pages more interactive is building mass and, dare we say it, even real momentum as major publishers and advertisers adopt a pair of technologies centered on the cellphone.

Advertisers in touch with teens' cellphones

Youths are signing up to have pitches, photos and links to websites sent to their multifunction mobile devices.

Los Angeles Times, May 23, 2008 — As she readied for last night's prom, Jamie McGraw asked her friends for advice about hairstyles, shoes and a dress. She also turned to her cellphone for a little help. McGraw receives daily text messages from Seventeen magazine about fashion, including tips about what to wear to the prom. She planned to take the magazine's suggestion to wear a brightly colored outfit and be prepared for "dress malfunctions."

Embracing Mobile Phone Commerce

KenRadio, April 7, 2008 — 25% of cellular phone users with mobile internet access now use their devices to buy goods and services online with a credit card, and nearly one in five saying they would like to someday use cell phones as a "mobile wallet," where charges would be billed directly to their mobile accounts. In addition, ten percent of the survey participants said they would consider wire transfers and stock trading via their mobile phones, according to a new study by Harris Interactive. Mobile phone users are increasingly comfortable making banking and purchase transactions while on-the-go, a virtual taboo until now.

Why '08 Isn't Mobile's Year -- Again†

Here Are Five Reasons, and Five Fixes That Could Make '09 the One (Really)

Advertising Age, March 31, 2008 — Each year since about 2000 — and maybe even before — has been wrongly touted as the year of mobile marketing. And this year won't be it either, despite the we're-not-kidding-this-time rhetoric being spouted by mobile-marketing boosters converging for telecom's big powwow in Las Vegas this week. Here are five reasons why — and five fixes that could make 2009 the year the channel becomes really, truly, we're-not-joking meaningful.

Spending on Alternative Media Jumps 22%†

Marketers Follow as Consumers' Broadband Use Surges

Advertising Age, March 26, 2008 — Spending on alternative media hit $73.43 billion in 2007, a 22% increase over the previous year, and will continue to grow, according to PQ Media's Alternative Media Forecast: 2008-2012, released today. The research firm tracked 18 digital and nontraditional segments, with a combined 16.1% of total advertising and marketing dollars in 2007, up from 7.9% in 2002, yielding a compound annual growth rate of 21.7%.

The forecast predicts a 20.2% increase over the next year, to a total of $88.24 billion, and a compounded annual growth rate of 17% for 2007-2012, reaching $160.82 billion. By then, alternative media will represent 26.6% of all advertising and marketing dollars.