FT Digital Media & Broadcasting Conference: Is location the killer app?

Are localised solutions going to be the key to success for mobile advertising?  Or is there no such thing as the much-talked about ‘year of mobile’?

Speaking at yesterday’s FT Digital Media & Broadcasting Conference o2’s managing director of media Shaun Gregory unsurprisingly talked up the benefits of mobile advertising and suggested that location-based apps offer a “very exciting” opportunity for the development of mobile marketing.

Gregory, who also believes that the “iPhone will shortly become the remote control of your life”, claims with great reach, relevant and responsive ads, mobile offers a “truly personalised media opportunity”.

For him, localised solutions will add to this package if the industry can tackle issues around privacy and relevance.  “It is not about being intrusive, that will just lead to a high opt-out,” he said.  “But consumers will understand the benefits [of mobile advertising and localised solutions] if you explain it properly.”

However, this won’t necessarily determine the ‘year of mobile’, according to Gregory, who believes the very idea is false.  “It takes time”, he said, before adding that “mobile advertising has seen huge growth recently… we are getting there.”

His fellow panellist Russell Buckley, vice president of global alliances at AdMob, agreed, adding: “Mobile offers a great opportunity at the moment… it’s a vibrant market for advertising.”

For both Buckley and Gregory, recent consolidation shows that the big players are coming into the market and making mobile their priority.  Although the FT’s Richard Waters claims to have heard Google’s Eric Schmidt promise this on several occasions, for every different medium.