New research by Verve has shown that consumers are twice as likely to engage with mobile ads that utilise location data then they would with generic ads.
The company surveyed 2,000 UK adults also found that mobile ads related to user hobbies and interests perform much better than generic mobile ads. Of those surveyed who have engaged with mobile ads, 33% said they would engage with one that was related to something or somewhere they planned for the future.
The rewards are clearly there for marketers who make effective use of data to inform their mobile creative campaigns. This, however, does not currently seem to be the case. 56% thinks that they ads they are currently served on mobiles are boring and dull, with just 11% saying that they find them useful.
Verve estimate that the average person in the UK ignores over seven mobile ads a day.
Unlocking the potential
The Verve analysis backs up previously reported research that ads that aren’t optimised for mobile devices are the biggest annoyance to consumers when it comes to mobile advertising. 78% of those surveyed said that the ads they tend to see on mobiles are too small to read or contain too much text.
Respondents said that they would be more likely to engage with ads that make use of mobile-related formats and data. 20% would like ads that play with their phone’s tilt, tap and zoom mechanics, 19% would like ads that are like games or encourage the user to navigate through them, and 21% would like ads that ask them a question.
“As an industry we need to be working together. Firstly, to ensure advertisers are unlocking the power of various data sources, including location insights, when producing their ad creative. Secondly, to make brands aware of how to identify data that is both accurate and precise to make sure ads are as relevant as possible. Finally, to educate brands on the multitude of creative formats that work specifically for mobile. The expectation of personalisation from today’s consumer is on the rise, bringing to the fore the sheer importance of using smart data sets to power creative experiences,” Ian James, GM International, Verve, said.
“We worked with Verve to create a rich-media game on behalf of Goodwill®. The game was geo-targeted and highly engaging for our audiences,” said Lisa Sherman, President and CEO, the Ad Council.
“We drove a record-breaking number of people to learn more about Goodwill’s mission of providing job opportunities, training and placement, and how they can support those efforts. We were blown away by the results.”
