Despite the rise of mobile and online, traditional advertising is still a very effective way to promote a brand.  Billboards still line the highways, direct mail still comes to your home each day, product packaging continues to evolve and, like it or not, TV commercials still bombard us between each and every segment (unless you are a DVR adoptee, of course). The one area where many of these mediums fall short is measurement.

Just think about it. How does a marketer really know if a billboard on I-90 is catching the consumer’s eye or if the direct mail campaign is what sparked a person to try a new product? Even in the digital age, a time when all marketers are looking to A) drive traffic to their Web site and B) spark an action (i.e. a purchase) a company generally has little insight into how a visitor was drawn to their brand. Maybe it was the radio spot or perhaps the new in-store signage. These forms of advertising are effective but lack an interactive component capable of delivering this type of insight. Add mobile to the equation and it’s a whole different story.

For example, an Out Of Home ad on college campuses includes a mobile call to action requesting that the consumer text a specific keyword to a common short code (a five or six digit number that works on all national carriers). The consumer then receives a text message with an offer they can take to a physical store.  Or perhaps it contains a link to a mobile web site where they can get more information or take it a step further and request the consumer’s email address to send them an email to read when they are back online. Simultaneously, a radio spot does the same but with a different keyword.  Now when the consumer acts, and there is plenty of evidence that they will, marketers are able to see which media is generating better results and then adjust the campaign as needed. This model provides similar feedback marketers get from the web, and it delivers insights that previously were not possible with traditional media.

And name brands are taking notice. Earlier this year Jameson put in place a campaign designed to send unique Irish toasts via text message to consumers who had opted-in to the “Jameson Full-On Irish” Sweepstakes. The toasts were sent daily from February 17 to March 17, and then hourly throughout March 16 and 17. The campaign specifically featured on-premise marketing materials (in bars, restaurants, etc…) which requested that consumers text in the word “Jameson” to 80782 while the brand’s off-premise (on package) materials prompted consumers to text in the word “Irish” to 80782. While the campaign generated thousands of text messaging, what Jameson found interesting was that more than three quarters of the responses came from on-premise or from ads in restaurants and bars. This insight gave the Jameson team the opportunity to alter future campaigns to further drive the on-premise groups while also looking into new methods to grab the attention of those store based consumers.

Predictions around the rise of the mobile marketing space have come fast and furious. eMarketer states that the U.S. mobile advertising market, which was $1billion in 2007, will grow to $5 billion in 2011. While these numbers are impressive, what the experts seem confused about is when the mobile marketing revolution will begin. Instead the pundits are focusing on “what’s to come,” not what is happening now. This is a mistake. Truth is, there is a great deal happening present day. Marketers should not sit and wait for a formal invitation before making their move.

One example of how mobile marketing is already providing real results for many brands is their use of SMS (AKA text messaging), which allows for the sending of short 160 character messages to and from a mobile phone. 160 characters might not seem like much but when they are highly targeted AND personalized to each individual user, the message can be quite powerful. According to a January 2007 CTIA Report, 96% of all active cell phones in the U.S. can be reached using text-messaging (more than 220 million users). In fact, text messaging is the fastest growing communication channel in history worldwide and already has twice the reach of the Internet (Computer Industry Almanac 2006). These figures cannot be ignored and they are not; currently 89 percent of major brands have stated that they are planning to market via mobile phone text messaging by 2008.

While the majority of major brands prepare to “dip their toes” in the mobile marketing waters, they will find that they are not alone. To date many marketers have already realized that the ubiquitous reach of SMS and the ability to deliver a targeted message to the consumer (pending their permission of course), makes it an incredibly valuable marketing channel. Whether promoting products/services, providing incentives to act (i.e. Reply now for a chance to win a free sandwich!) or driving customer loyalty and retention, mobile marketing gives brands an alternative to stagnant marketing channels that have not been delivering the needed value.

Take for example, Guinness. This well known brand was looking to increase membership for the Guinness “Toast,” an annual event that takes place across the globe. Realizing the power of mobile, Guinness added mobile to the campaign, allowing consumers to join the TOAST, whether at home, work or at the local pub. By connecting through their mobile device, customers would be given the chance to become a member of the program and receive a free Guinness ringtone. The program also helped quickly drive significant traffic to TheGreatGuinnessToast.com website, further growing membership.

The experts are right when they say that mobile marketing will gain huge momentum in the years to come. The point they seem to be missing is that the movement is taking place now and consumers are responding with open arms. Whether it’s a mobile web site, mobile ads, or text messaging, many marketers are already embracing the mobile channel to engage with consumers through content they care about most. Just ask the folks at Guinness. Is your brand ready now?