‘Future of Mobile’ Seminar: Mobile data – does the industry know what to do with it?
Mobile data caused a bit of a stir at MediaTel Group’s ‘Future of Mobile’ seminar in London yesterday. For some panellists and attendees, the mobile industry is “stats-starved” and even though it is starting to filter through slowly and surely now, it has been a long time coming.
For others, the industry has already got access to masses of detailed customer data when it comes to mobile … they just don’t know what to do with it. One panellist even complained that “data gets in the way of driving things forward”.
In the first panel debate, Steve Nicholson from The Cloud said: “Data will transform the industry.” Although he pointed out that it has taken the industry too long to get to grips with mobile data.
However, in the second session, Simon Andrews from addictive!, argued that “the issue is, the industry still doesn’t get it”.
O2 Media’s Shan Henderson thinks mobile industry players need to start working together if they are to “monetise” data. He would like to see advertisers and operators working together to use data for consumer benefits. It’s about “sharing data,” he said.
In this respect, Henderson believes that “operators have the power,” as they can use data to offer consumer insights, and are therefore able to make advertising objectives work effectively.
One way in which O2 achieves this is, for example, by knowing what banks customers use, then sending a mass text to all Natwest users informing them of a new Natwest App on the iPhone, which they can then click-through and download for free.
The take-up of this has been impressive, Henderson told attendees, because operators are using customer data in the right commercial way by sending relevant and useful content. The only issue, Henderson said, is being careful not to take advantage of consumer information for commercial needs. “We need to fulfill out side of the bargain to customers [if they are to continue trusting us with information],” he added.
Fellow panellist Jonathan Kelly picked up on this point. “Operators need to be cautious when using customer data,” he said. “It’s about making informed choices and careful targeting.”
However, Sky Digital Media’s Tim Hussain thinks customer data gives “operators an untapped potential” when it comes to mobile advertising. “Data is a huge benefit to advertisers,” he said, adding that consumer insights “wouldn’t have come about without the operators”, who have invested in data.
Summing it up, Tim Dunn from Mobile Interactive Group, said: “We need to use data to find out what consumers want, which will then drive operators investment and in turn drive ad models.”
MediaTel Group has launched a new mobile database, featuring top sites, demographic breakdowns and mobile phone activities alongside case studies and white papers.