More SMS: why people are wary

Advice for Mobile Marketers, Courtesy of ObamaRelease Date: 08/23/2008

Source: New York Times Technology Blog by Claire Cain Miller

Technology pundits have been heralding the “year of mobile” every year for a decade, but this year might really be it. The latest evidence: the tizzy over Barack Obama’s much-anticipated text message announcing his pick for running mate.

The Obama campaign is expected to send out the news sometime before the candidate’s rally on Saturday to everyone who has given it their cell phone numbers. The plan has political junkies and bystanders alike buzzing about the imminent Obama text message in a way that would make brand marketers swoon.

Mobile marketers are studying the Obama campaign’s initiative, which offers lessons for startups hoping to help big brands reach consumers on their cell phones. Advertisers have been slow to market via mobile phones, but that is changing thanks to a rash of mobile marketing startups and increased use of text messaging and mobile Internet.

Many advertisers are still hesitant to send text message ads, said R.J. Talyor, product marketing manager for the digital marketing firm ExactTarget. “The cell phone is the last area that a person feels is still private,” he said. “The people who have your cell phone number are typically your friends and family, so people are wary to give out numbers to people they know will market to them.”
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