Punters sold on text message adverts

Julia Day
guardian.co.uk, Thursday May 3 2001 07.47 BST

Nine out of 10 people who took part in a text message advertising trial claimed they were not irritated by the adverts.

The news comes as more and more companies are using mobile phones to contact consumers - Big Brother supremo Peter Bazalgette revealed he is to launch a text message service for its new series.

Mobile phone marketing company The Mobile Channel sent text message adverts to 1,000 people aged 16-30 who had detailed their interests to make sure the adverts were relevant to them.

The results reveal that 94% of the users were satisfied with the service and 85% of them would recommend it to a friend.

According to the survey more than seven out of 10 of participants read between 75% and all of their text message adverts and 81% agreed the adverts were interesting or appropriate.

But the news that the text adverts typically received response rates of between 10% and 20% with the highest achieving 28% will be the most important factor to brands considering advertising over mobile phones.

It means that consumers are very willing to interact with brands who text them.

In comparison, a successful direct mail campaign can expect to elicit a 3% response rate.

Thirty-five brands have taken part in a text message advertising trial which has produced customer response rates of up to 28%.

Brands including Cadbury's, Carlsberg, Sega, GlaxoSmithKline, Blockbuster, Camelot, Tango and Thomas Cook took part in the six week trial conducted by NOP and on behalf of The Mobile Channel.

The trial was carried out in conjunction with the London Business School, was endorsed by The Incorporated Society of British Advertisers and sponsored by media buying company MediaCom.

Mediacom head of account research Andy Richmond says: "The Mobile Channel's model will allow us insights into what it takes to establish a one to one relationship with the consumer, which is every advertiser's ultimate aim."

Carlsberg-Tetley brand manager Simon Pick says: "Mobile has the potential to allow us to communicate in a timely manner with our target market when and where it is most appropriate - for example when they are out drinking, or immediately following one of the sports events we are part of."