The possibilities are many, and the opportunity great. Advertising on mobile phones, while currently nothing to get excited about at all, has the potential to be hugely successful because of one thing – your location. Your network provider has a pretty good idea of where you are at any one time, even if your phone doesn’t have GPS inbuilt. This (technically) means you can be served with an ad from a shop nearby, or even sent a special offer just for being in the area.
Privacy advocates in the States are none too happy about this, though – even though Google is only just starting to get this kind of technology off the ground. The Center for Digital Democracy is about to file a complaint that “alleges deceptive practices throughout the nascent mobile advertising industry and asks the commission to launch an investigation into the privacy implications of marketing practices targeted at cellphone users“.
Now, I’m all for privacy, but back up a minute – firstly, Google hasn’t done anything wrong (yet), and secondly… who doesn’t want more relevant, timely and informative advertising? Keep in mind that this kind of service would always be OPT IN! Nobody likes getting spammed, especially on their phone – but personally, I wouldn’t mind location-based advertising becoming commonplace.
What do you think – will location-based advertising be a complete breach of privacy, or a boon to consumers?
Personally, I think it sounds great. Discounts for food and entertainment venues arriving on my phone while I’m out and about; links embedded in the ad I’ve just seen (and am too lazy to enter into my browser) – perfect for the want it now, gen Y set!
People do not opt in to spam, but still get it.
People do not opt in to junk mail (in fact I have a ‘no junk mail’ sticker on my letterbox), but still get it.
Mobile advertising is more invasive than both email spam and junk mail, because:
a) your mobile is far more personal
b) it is on you most of the time
c) it acts on you by ringing, or alerting you to a message, then you react to it (often immediately because it is on you all the time). This is opposed to proactively checking your email when you choose to, or going to the mailbox when you choose to.
The mobile world has more guidelines, rules and regulations from inception that any other form of media. you cannot spam a mobile, yet you can send an email to someone without asking and if they don’t say no, you can keep sending it to them. A mobile consumer HAS TO OPT IN to receive information. it is that simple.
for anyone to state that Location based advertising (other than Bluetooth) will be invasive does not know what they are talking about!
This is about consumers controlling which brands speak to them about which products. What a perfect world to only hear from those you want to hear from, about the things you want to hear about!