2010 Holiday Season Will See Largest Mobile Marketing Push To Date

Experts at ABI Research are predicting that the mobile marketing budgets over the 2010 holiday season will be the largest ever - significantly bigger than 2009.  This means that brands are finally beginning to realize the importance and power of mobile.

There are two major reasons for the dramatic rise in spending.  First, more consumers own smartphones in the US than ever before.  At the beginning of 2010, smartphones accounted for approximately 20% of the mobile phones in use in the US, and that number has risen dramatically with the introduction of the Android handsets on Verizon Wireless, the nation’s largest carrier. The iPad is also likely to make an impact, as will the new iAd network. Second, brands are starting to see positive results from mobile campaigns, and possibly more motivating, they have been seeing positive results for their competitors’ mobile campaigns too. According to Mobile Marketing Watch, the economy is also starting to turn, and businesses have more funds available for their marketing budgets. 

Brands that do not have a mobile presence could be at a significant disadvantage in some consumer circles.  As Neil Strother, practice director at ABI Research stated,

Brands and marketers that do not include mobile in their holiday marketing plans this year will miss out on a growing number of consumers who will be considering products via their mobile devices, especially those with advanced smartphones who search and browse products and brands.

Mack McKelvey, senior vice president of marketing at Millennial Media, takes it a step further, and says,

Those that are planning [to use mobile marketing] now will reap the benefits. Those that do not embark on holiday planning soon, may be relegated to inventory and targeting that does not necessarily meet their expectations.