Mobile Advertising: 18-24 year olds lead the Parade.

Usage of picture/video phones is up 17%* for all adults according to an analysis of BIGresearch’s (http://www.bigresearch.com) most recent Simultaneous Media Survey (SIMM 11, Dec. 07) of 15,727 participants (v. Dec. 06). This increase in usage, coupled with 90% of adults reporting they regularly/occasionally use a cell phone, makes a case for why mobile advertising is a viable option for advertisers. However, with this form of promotion in its early development, they should understand not only how consumers use cell phones, but who is most likely to be influenced to purchase.

According to the analysis, cell phones don’t exactly top the list of medias that influence consumers to purchase. In fact, only 6.9% of adults say that video on cell phone influences them to purchase electronics; 6.4% say text messaging does the same. (For a point of reference, word of mouth is #1 with 42.6%.)

However, there is one bright spot – the all important, elusive 18-24 year old segment. The percentage of young consumers influenced more than doubles for both forms of cell phone media (14.2% for video and 15.9% for text messaging), giving marketers a solid target as they jump on the mobile marketing bandwagon.

“Given the state of our economy, mobile advertisers have a unique environment in which to build strategies that influence consumers to buy via their cell phones, especially the media elusive 18-24 year old segment,” said Gary Drenik, President of BIGresearch. “More robust cell phone technology allows consumers to receive promotional offers and connect to their favorite Internet shopping site all within minutes and without having to fuel up on gas.”

Understanding how consumers use cell phones is also critical in developing mobile marketing plans. According to the analysis, cell phones are much more likely to trigger an online search for young consumers than all adults (21.8% v. 8.3%) as is text messaging (15.3% v. 4.8%).

The 18-24 year old set is also more likely to download to a cell phone than the general market (31.6% v. 15.9%).

Interestingly, more than half (50.5%) of 18-24 year olds communicate with others about a service, product or brand via cell phone (compared to 29.6% of all adults), second only to face-to-face communication (66.9%). They are also almost three times as likely to communicate through text messaging than all adults (30.7% v. 10.8%).

To view charts CLICK on above on ‘More Images’.

For more information at http://www.bigresearch.com