Mobile Groove

After a short break we present Part 2 of our virtual roundtable podcast with three Indian Millennials: Minaketan Parida (24), Shagun Talwar (20) and Manikaran Singh (20). Last time we asked them about their attitude toward mobile advertising and their relationship with their mobile phone. Predictably, all three rely on their phones for all communication with their friends and families. They also use their mobile phone to access information, book tickets, do shopping and generally interact with the world around them.

We also found out that all three would be interested in interacting with brands provided they got something of value in return.

The virtual round table of podcast interviews with millennials continues with a look at the Indian market for mobile advertising. With 525 million mobile subscriptions and rising, India is the world’s second largest mobile market after China. Since the majority of Indians don’t have access to a PC, so mobile is the only screen for content, advertising and communications of all kinds.

India is a market poised for exciting growth in mobile marketing, as this insider mobile marketing guide from our friends at mobiThinking shows. India was also the showcase for the World Brand Congress, a prestigious event that brings together the marketing leaders and industry thinkers behind some of the world’s most successful and sought-after brands.

In the run up the Mobile Marketing Association’s Forum event in Los Angeles (November 17^th) we catch up with Michael Becker, North America Managing Director for the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), author of several mobile marketing resources, including Mobile Marketing For Dummies, and – more interestingly – the spark behind a provocative post that details how consumers are taking charge of their personal data and using this currency to shape their very personal mobile marketing experiences.

As Michael sees it: brands and advertisers can achieve their highest objectives (brands awareness, acquisition, loyalty – the works) if they maintain a relationship with the individual based on trust and an understanding that consumers co-create value with the brand.

Personalization and all the technologies and techniques that follow our digital breadcrumb trail across the mobile Web to deliver us content, advertising and apps we are most likely to appreciate are moving to the top of the agenda.

In fact, evidence is mounting that personalization is going to be table stakes for a wide and growing range of content companies, brands and service providers. Personally, I have been convinced of the business value of personalization (and recommendation) since 2005, when I wrote the definitive industry report on the topic. (Since then other analyst firms and industry players have picked up on the pivotal role of personalization in business models and approaches sharply aimed at connecting the dots in our digital behavior, catapulting what was a niche topic into the mainstream.

What do agencies and brands really need to understand if they want to harness mobile for their mobile marketing campaigns? How can brands most effectively utilize SMS as part of their marketing mix? Why is permission-based marketing a must?

These are some of the questions explored (and answered) in the recent release Mobile Marketing Playbook published by 360i, a U.S.-based digital marketing agency serving a global customer base of large brands and Fortune 500 companies. The guide — an 87-page mobile marketing how-to — helps brands develop creative and effective (integrated) mobile marketing strategies that drive business objectives.

Today we catch up with Stephanie Bauer Marshall, Associate Director, Mobile Advertising & Marketing, Verizon Wireless. Stephanie is speaking today at the mobileSQUARED Roadshow, a one-day, interactive conference taking place today in New York. The program is sharply focused on mobile marketing essentials and strategy and Stephanie – a keynote speaker at the event – is using the occasion to share key learnings on the do’s and don’ts of mobile marketing and advertising.

One, companies across the emerging mobile marketing ecosystem (brands, agencies, operators, enables – everyone) must structure their strategy around the consumer. It sounds simple – but Stephanie says