Juniper Research forecasts that by 2013, worldwide mobile advertising spending will reach almost $7.6 billion, up from just over $1 billion in 2008.
Text message advertising currently accounts for the largest share of mobile advertising with $335 million spent in 2008, but as mobile TV services proliferate, SMS advertising spending will rise to only $2.5 billion by 2012.
Asia-Pacific will remain the regional leader in total mobile ad spending, with $414 million in 2008, rising to $2.1 billion by 2012.
"While ad spending in the mobile
environment is still extremely limited when compared to the budgets
allocated to media such as magazines, television, cinema and the Internet,"
said Windsor Holden at Juniper, "the opportunities it offers—personalized advertising with very high
response rates, delivered to a device which is always in close proximity to
the individual—will make it an increasingly attractive proposition for
leading brands."