British teens have mobile ad preferences

A recent study by Q Research shows that just 32 percent of 11-20 year olds want ads on their mobile phones, but those numbers rise when participants are given different scenarios.

by Helen Leggatt

When given a choice of which ads they receive, and how, the British teen respondents appeared more willing to accept ads on their own terms. Seventy-one percent said they would be happy to receive ads tailored to their interests, 45 percent wanted text ads and 53 percent expressed a preference for video ads, although many were put off by the costs associated with receiving them.

“The responses show us that 11-20 year olds have strong feelings about the way advertisers should communicate with them via mobile phone, and that these are impacted by the respondent’s gender, age, mobile phone network and ethnicity,” said Dr Liz Nelson, Q Research’s executive chairman. “And as one of the UK’s leading high street banks announces this week it is using location-based advertising to its customers’ mobiles, this research is very timely for advertisers.”

Offering free services or products in exchange for receiving ad messages is finding its place in the mobile marketing world. Nokia’s former president has started Blyk, a service that will soon offer free calls and texts to users prepared to receive ads on their phones. So far Coca-Cola, L’Oreal and Buena Vista have signed up for the service which launches later this year.

Harris Interactive’s recent study into the mobile ad preferences of U.S. adults aged 18+ found similar attitudes towards mobile advertising.

Tags: 11-20 age group, mobile ads, mobile marketing, Mobile phones, mobile text messaging

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