Mobile users could soon be facing an explosion of advertising on their phones following a key industry deal announced today in New York.
The GSM Association (GSMA) and the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) have agreed to collaborate on ways to accelerate the development of mobile advertising worldwide.
The move marks the first major step towards creating global standard for mobile advertising, seen as an essential element in expanding the use of mobile advertising worldwide. The GSMA and MMA will be working to develop new advertising techniques specifically for a mobile audiences, create advertising guidelines, and develop other structures to further boost the small but fast-growing mobile advertising medium.
Mobile advertising growth
"The MMA and GSMA will bring leading advertisers, agencies and operators together to ensure that this very promising, but nascent, advertising medium realises its full potential for the benefit of all players in the ecosystem," said Bill Gajda, Chief Commercial Officer of the GSMA.
Fears that this could lead to an explosion in intrusive mobile advertising have been played down by the GSMA, which reiterated its position that responsible use of mobile advertising was essential for its development, owing to the uniquely personal nature of the mobile phone.
Bill Gajda told Tech.co.uk. "
Several UK operators have already introduced advertising to their mobile services. 3 became the first to offer free video content downloads packaged with adverts in April 2007.