Mobile marketing is the emerging threat to our privacy, with a range of behavioral targeting and other data collection techniques. While there are privacy problems throughout the field, we think Microsoft’s recent purchase of European-based ScreenTonic is a good example of what to expect. Europe is a prime mobile marketing testing ground. Here’s an excerpt from an interview conducted by Advertising Age with Joe Doran, general manager of Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions:
“Ad Age: What kind of targeting data will Microsoft and ScreenTonic be able to offer marketers?
Mr. Doran: ScreenTonic does basic targeting based on handset by carrier and by the site [where the consumer is] actually at today. Based on information we can comb from the carrier and the operator, we could get enhanced data for advertiser, such as gender or geo-location. It’s probably not as robust as we would want it to be, but it’s as good as what everybody is doing in geo-based targeting on mobile advertising today….
Ad Age: How will mobile be sold and measured?
Mr. Doran: For display advertising — which is where ScreenTonic really fits — that will primarily be placed and sold on CPM [cost per thousand viewer] basis. There will be performance-based media just as there is all over digital marketing today…High content, highly contextually targeted, high value placements will drive high value CPMs.”
From: Microsoft Explains Mobile Ad Network Purchase.” Alice Z. Cuneo and Abbey Klaassen. Ad Age. May 4, 2007 (sub. required).
