Permission again left out of mobile phone ad conversation

This week’s Adweek reports on a new study:

One in three mobile phone users in the U.S.—or 78 million people—have seen or heard advertising on their phones within the last three months, according to the Mobile Advertising Report, a joint survey conducted by Limbo and GFK/NOP Research.

"The fact that so many people are aware of advertising [on their mobile phones] shows that it's going to have some sort of real presence in the eyes of the consumer," said Rob Lawson, CMO, Limbo.

Well, if mobile companies don’t listen to consumers, it’ll have a “real presence,” all right. Real negative, that is.

What seems to be missing from this study—and from most conversations about mobile ads, as SBB has discussed previously—is a discussion about whether opt-in only is the right choice for both advertisers and consumers. Why is that? Well, it could be that mobile companies haven’t thought to ask. But it’s more likely that they figure if they don’t ask you, it’s awful hard for you to say no.

How do you feel about ads on your cell phone? Take the poll in the right-hand column, or comment below.