Nearly three-quarters of US Internet users think they are overexposed to advertising, according to a study by Web Visible and Nielsen//NetRatings. That perception is carrying over into mobile marketing.
Since consumers are sensitive to ad exposure, advertisers who get mobile users' permission need to make sure everything works before launch, said John du Pre Gauntt, senior analyst at eMarketer.
"It is unlikely that a major hiccup in a mobile campaign's functionality will cause a customer to think, 'Well, there must be a problem in the middleware or the credit card company isn't doing its job,'" Mr. Gauntt said. "More likely, the customer will think, 'This sucks!' and be done with it."
Nearly two-thirds of respondents to a Maritz Research survey of Generation Y consumers said they were unlikely or definitely unlikely to subscribe to texted retail offers sent to their handsets.
The WebVisible-Nielsen survey was even gloomier, with 92% of respondents saying that local business ads sent to their mobile phones would irritate them.
Similarly, four-fifths of mobile users in an Ingenio-sponsored survey conducted by Harris Interactive said that text messages sent by companies would be totally unacceptable.
Mobile marketing objections depend on context. It is one thing to ask if someone wants ads sent to their phone and another to ask if they would like free music in exchange for viewing a mobile ad.
Find out how mobile branding campaigns work. Please read eMarketer's Mobile Brand Advertising report.