Mobile marketing gets IAB backing

September 26, 2016

The UK’s big five mobile operators have signed a deal with the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) to work out the best way of using phone handsets as marketing tools.

O2, Orange, T-Mobile, 3 and Vodafone are all backing research by the IAB that will see the launch of a detailed report into the potential of mobile advertising – globally worth an estimated £560 million per year.

Industry standards will be created by the international Mobile Marketing Association, whilst the IAB will ensure that mobile marketing tactics are a success.

Past attempts by the IAB to raise internet advertising’s profile have proved widely successful, helping marketers to gain confidence in the medium.

Mobile marketing, however, is still seen as unproven territory, with advertisers wary that mobile marketing lacks standards, measurement systems and case studies demonstrating its effectiveness.

Neil Andrews, 3’s head of portal advertising, said the partnership with the IAB has come at a perfect time to give mobile advertising the support and guidance it needs.

He added that 3 is confident of success in mobile advertising.

Steve Ricketts, head of mobile advertising at Orange UK, said the partnership with IAB will drive success for advertisers, marketing agencies, and consumers.

Vodafone believes that consumers are becoming increasingly receptive to mobile advertising.

Whether this is true remains to be seen.

Will consumers really opt for a cut-price contract in exchange for adverts being sent to their phone?