The major factors that affect the use of mobile advertising include device, interface, purpose, media, content, message and the audience. Acceptance of mobile as an advertising medium among consumers is influenced by a wide range of factors that include purpose, personalization, control, privacy, protection, usage, specificity, psychological barriers and other regulations. When these factors that influence the consumer acceptance are analyzed properly, it will provide valuable insights about the role of mobile marketing and advertising in the near future. Quite a few non consumer centric variables exist, like advertising content and technology, when manipulated accordingly will create a positive response among the target audience.

So it is important for one to understand the consumers’ attitude towards mobile advertising and various factors influencing it, based on that a unique model can be defined and executed. One of the key elements for the success of a mobile advertising campaign is to understand both the user expectations as well as the differences in available mobile devices and keeping the users engaged in communication. A good number of businesses are now experiencing success using mobile advertising and marketing as a tool, because of less competition as of now when compared to internet marketing. Overall, mobile marketing is a great tool for lead generation and to build relationships with consumers if the so called factors that influence consumer acceptance are addressed properly.

1.  Paul Allen Sues Apple, Google, over patents

This story broke on Friday afternoon.  It’s not unlike the suit by Larry Ellison of Oracle over Java Technology, but equally as laughable.  According to the piece, Allen had been sitting on these patents for years and just now realized that they have value.  It’s like the alphabet inventors suing the estate of James Joyce because they are still making revenue from the sales of Ulysses.  I’ve documented on the space about the mobile technology being in a virtual shootout for control.  This is just another gun firing the pistol.

2.  HP and Dell square off for 3Par

HP and Dell continue to reach outside of their traditional customer PC markets by bidding for the data management firm.  The latest word is that 3Par executives consider HP to have a superior presentation and plan to nullify the agreement with Dell.  Both corporations are looking to gain control in the race for cloud computing.  Cloud computing is an emerging industry with remote data centers offsite.  Firms now are expanding their reach into the market with CRM solutions that can be an asset for small businesses.   These days, tech firms are looking to exhaust their piles of cash on the balance sheet.  Whether their decisions benefit shareholders will be seen later on.

3.  Yahoo and Microsoft team up to counter Google

After two years of rebuffing the pursuit, Yahoo and Google team up to gain market share in search advertising.  Bing, Microsoft’s emerging search index, has made moves with an alliance with Facebook, who presents a wealth of personal data for marketers seeking to leverage revenue from social media.    Small businesses will have a wider array of pay per click rates to choose from that fits their respective budgets.  Yahoo receives a strong chunk of the revenue gained from search on their site, while Microsoft provides the algorithms. Both companies can also start experimenting with product innovation, giving hope to restoring Yahoo’s former glory as a search leader.

4.  Intel makes a second deal in two weeks; this time for Infineon

Intel continues to expand into wireless technology buy purchasing Infineon.  Infineon specializes in electronics for automobiles along with producing chips for security cards.  Intel’s track record of expansion has been relatively weak of late, and it is unclear when the investment will return dividends since mobile technology has negligible security issues at this time.  This should be nice for Infineon, as they can focus on product innovation, which has been their weakness.

5.  Google to Acquire Angstro

Google acquired this start-up to build their portfolio and challenge the social media industry, where Facebook clearly is the titan. Angstro has developed applications that mine personal data to deliver search results on a person’s professional network. Angstro also creates social networks and caller IDs for sites like LinkedIn.  Google is clearly worried about Facebook as an emerging search presence and after the disaster of Buzz, looks to pull a rabbit out of their hat. It could be too little, too late.

That’s the Blue news for now. See you next week.

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Those unsure of the distinction between the two can follow this distinction.  Google Places is seeking to overtake Yelp, Facebook, Craigslist, and other classified search hubs through acquiring third party publisher sites.  Third party publisher sites are created for advertisers to provide server space, campaign delivery, and reporting facilities needed to show content at an optimal cost.  Yelp clearly doesn’t have the financial resources of Google, so third party publishing is a fiber of their cyberspace identity with cookies being the sweet tooth. Cookies are placed on viewed websites to eliminate repeat pop-ups per page open, establish an advertising sequence, and monitor web traffic for analytical reports.  It gives them the platform for their unique customer reviewers to post routinely, creating a bucolic online community.  I think this will be a permanent discontinuation since the e-classified market needs to distinguish itself.

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The current format of mobile advertising or marketing does not have a major effect on the buying decision of the consumers and various studies reveal that the response of consumers towards this form of marketing fall in different categories which include a disruptive nature of the advertisements, a need for personalization of advertisements, and the advantages or use of mobile advertisements. The major advantage of this media as a tool of marketing is that it will improve the chances of reaching consumers directly with personalized content. On the other hand, most companies think of negative response from consumers and invasion of consumer privacy as main disadvantages.

Recent studies reveal that one third of Americans who have signed up for promotional alerts via mobile phones indicate that these marketing services make an impact on their buying decision. Placecast studies indicate that only 3% of women and 7% of men are interested in location based social networks.  The check-in services or the mobile optimized location based services of leading social networks has only a limited impact and the reach is still not measured properly.  Studies also reveal that the short messaging services as a new advertising medium can generate good responses as high as 40% compared to direct mail and banner advertisements.  Location based mobile advertising messages are having higher click through rates when compared to online advertising messages.

The key for success in mobile marketing is to maintain a certain level that will not disturb the mobile phone users. So for every marketer, it is very important to know the use of mobile marketing to make a clear impact on the buying decision of a consumer. Mobile media is considered to be more personal than any other traditional mode of communication and emails. It is highly recommended to follow a conceptual framework when defining a mobile marketing campaign using the permission based marketing strategy.

Mobile technology currently is in transition. Large firms seek to establish control over broadband waves, while others want to limit application sharing. Blueliner looks to set its own initiative with this campaign that synthesizes the 7 Pillars of Marketing with a vision of a future where digital content is shared through a multichannel network of platforms. The slideshow also asks pertinent questions about mobile technology as an information device, while spotlighting studies that demonstrate its nascent growth for advertisers and marketers. Enjoy.

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Competition is healthy within any marketplace, as the crux of free market capitalism.  Privately, I wonder about the start-ups’ true thoughts.  Foursquare has done a solid job of leveraging partnerships with Starbucks, for example, into a multi-pronged channel that delivers advertising and brand equity amongst a loyal base. They have also been a hit with local restaurants and retailers by providing an analytic dashboard to track customer data and grant mayor medallions for repeated visits.

Nevertheless, I think that reality will surface to the top.  Facebook has become the behemoth of social networking, and they want more. Their partnership with Bing to gain market share in search indexing, along with its leveraging of user profile data to tailor campaign strategies, can offer credibility to geolocation that eludes Foursquare at this moment in time.  In fact, it could pose a threat to Craigslist by carving out target demographics.

Places will allow novice users to manage their accounts through one interface, and Facebook wants to be the final destination for your interactive experience.  In today’s deluge of information, an option of efficient streamlining is gladly taken.  The odds are that Foursquare can survive for a little while longer with hardcore loyalists,  but reports are surfacing that some Foursquare users are already migrating to Facebook Places.

Places can take Facebook deeper into a dimension of privacy debate.  Users have deactivated accounts this year after heavy criticism of protocol negligence.  It can be difficult to remember the level of information placed on your user profile, and the inclusion of geo-location magnifies the potential for risk amongst those sharing their points on Earth.  The downfall of MySpace was more than just a hackneyed design scheme.  Cases of pedophilia and other malicious acts popped up in several states, damaging the website’s integrity amongst the public. 

Everything intensifies when information is shared through mobile devices, which already have automated GPS systems through carrier networks.  Surely, one must exhibit prudence when combining too much information through various user interfaces.  I doubt that Carmen Sandiego would love geolocation.  She couldn’t steal treasures and teach geography to children if they already knew her whereabouts.  Serendipity is fun sometimes.  Geolocation kills it for me.  Sorry, Facebook.

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It is unclear if the absolute freedom of digital space remains in jeopardy. On another level, one cannot quantify at this point the value of mobile marketing. The potential for revenue is strong if marketers can get applications available quickly. Apple could learn this lesson as they attempt to eliminate third-party applications.

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This button could prove as a watershed moment for Twitter.  The button upgrade initially appears to be a response to the ‘Like’ button of Facebook. ‘Like’ has been leveraging data between its personal profiles and web domains, resulting in a wealth of transactions.  Nick Halstead of TweetMeMe states that this announcement is to strengthen the position of each side rather than generate revenue. The recent suggestion algorithm used by Twitter supports this statement. Tweeters aren’t in love with the interface, however, and seek adjustments.

Website designers and SEO methodologists will delight in the simpler button’s ability to manage click counts.  Once these steps are made, then developers can use the new DataSift to leverage all that information into creating new streams.  DataSift pledges to build search rankings through fast rule processing, reflecting real-time status.  Hashtags will add value for the firm as advertising for corporate accounts.  The program is in development, planning to surface in the near future.

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We will look at the top five news stories, then discuss their impact.

1.  Google and Verizon Discussing Net Neutrality.  The latest on this story is that both firms are denying that a deal is in the works, but when there’s smoke, there’s fire.  This would be a huge determent on the business front.  It would really monopolize website optimization in terms of e-commerce and keyword search.  Larger firms would receive the bulk of advertising since they would be able to afford the delivery fees that Google and Verizon propose to regulate traffic.  Venture capitalists would struggle to research for innovative technologies.  The internet, on principle, would be undermined as an depot of information.

2.  UAE Set To Ban Blackberry Use In October.  Speaking of information depots, this story continues to build up steam, as the U.S. government looks to defend RIM’s data monitoring practices.  Earlier this week, the United Arab Emirates announced that it would ban Blackberry use in its borders starting this October due to security concerns.  The Canadian firm has superior encryption standards and routes data services through its proxy hubs in Canada.  The Middle Eastern government wants Hillary Clinton has went on public record, describing the behavior of UAE’s government as a threat the innate right of free internet access.  Undeniably, the potential for hegemony of content exists, especially in such a volatile region.  RIM is also in dialogue with India about similar concerns, so monitoring continues.  As of this syllable, Blackberry phones are still in use for all the aggravated investors in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

3.  Twitter Launches Suggestions Feed.  The Suggestions feed was rolled out this Monday by Twitter, and it looks to segment Twitterati into similar tastes and preferences not unlike social media rival Facebook.  So far, few people are in love with it, including myself.  The service, in my mind, is unique with its minimalist website design and character limits.  The suggestions feed uses an algorithm based on people you follow, their followers, and unconnected followers who you may find interested. Kinks are still being worked out, as the feed has crashed several times.  I feel that the suggestions feed suggest a desire to engage in a personalized relationship, which is the antithesis of a follower.  Nobody wants to be seen in this context.  One writer of the blog TechCrunch thinks this is just the beginning for Twitter’s social extension.

4.  Facebook vs. Google.  The battle for web advertising supremacy is going unnoticed by the general public, but digital media executives are watching really closely.  The search-advertising giant has made several efforts to enter the social media industry with applications like Wave and Buzz, only to watch them peter out due to privacy issues.  YouTube is one obvious success, but it was purchased by Google rather than developed from within the lab.  Facebook, on the other hand, has aligned with Microsoft Bing to leverage its superior depth of interpersonal connections.  It also acquired some patents from Friendster, which has been Apple’s strategy with mobile applications.  Google’s open source platform has been better received, with Android as a shining example.

Google is fighting different battles with China (firewall proxies), Apple (content syncing, television programming), Microsoft (office software, search), and the federal government (antitrust issues).  That is the reality of life when you gain accolades.  I feel like Google should place focus on development of certain programs, especially Analytics.  We use it as part of our SEO methodology, and the emergence of web and mobile advertising only intensifies the necessity for keyword tracking.  Google Reader is another program used by academia to conduct internet research for rare library content. A recent antitrust case concerning the application was closed, foreshadowing an opportunity.

5.  RIM releases the Blackberry Torch on AT&T.  Alongside the tiff with the UAE, RIM releases the Blackberry Torch on the AT&T network. The AT&T partnership is peculiar for several reasons.  Their inept coverage and network capacity has kept me from reaching for the iPhone, and the aforementioned device is included in their phone portfolio which could siphon revenue for each party.  Overall, the mobile platform has been rated as an improvement by tech reviewers.  I have yet to see the phone personally, so I can’t make a thorough judgement.  At first glance, it looked like a parody of the fallen Palm Pre, which this author views as a foreshadowing.  The smartphone race gets even more intense.

This is a wrap for the news.  Log in next week.

I recently visited the Ziegfield Theater in midtown and caught their promotion for the first time.  It took a little while to generate the coupon after several scans, but I received an offer for a free small popcorn after purchasing a large one with a large drink.  In my opinion, the deal was hardly enticing since movies in New York have become such an exorbitant cost.  I think that retailers stand to benefit greatly, along with national drugstore chains, where consumers tend to make impulsive and instantaneous decisions. For example, if Walgreens offered toothpaste and personal care items through a locked QR code, you would see profit gain. These products are an inelastic demand, leading to purchases for present and future inventory.

Marketers are still testing methods to entice consumers that are especially mobile.  The iPhone, with thousands of applications, have leaped forward, while the Droid is catching up with pure sales but lags in applications.  Mobile advertisers must give away themselves a little more in order to receive a bigger payoff, such as free admission to exclusive events.  The customer may spend those fees on items with higher ticket prices.  You then get a friend in New York and Pennsylvania.