National Survey: Smartphones To Drive Marketing Efforts In 2012

DETROIT (WWJ) - Smartphone applications and mobile barcodes -- those funny-looking, pixilated squares appearing on everything from bus shelters to price tags -- will spur innovation and sales in the marketing world in 2012, according to a new survey commissioned by AT&T.

AT&T commissioned a survey of 501 marketing or advertising professionals working at U.S.-based companies to better understand the opinions and attitudes of marketing and advertising executives toward mobile marketing, specifically mobile barcodes, and the factors that potentially could accelerate their use in the future.

The majority of executives surveyed said they view mobile barcodes as innovative and rank mobile barcodes the second highest mobile marketing priority for the year ahead.

Executives point to security, affordability and consumer demand as key factors when considering mobile barcodes as part of their marketing programs, which can be easily scanned on smartphones and, in moments, link consumers to additional content via the mobile Internet.

Chris Hill, Vice President of AT&T Advanced Mobility Solutions said with the growing popularity of smartphones and the increasing dependence on mobile devices, it's only natural that marketing executives want to turn up the volume on their mobile strategies next year.

The survey also found that 88 percent of respondents expect their mobile marketing program to increase in the next 12 months.

Mobile marketing strategies companies are interested in deploying in the next 12 months include: Mobile apps (43 percent), mobile barcodes (41 percent), banner ads (40 percent), mobile web (35 percent), SMS messages (34 percent) and digital signage (17 percent).

Sixty-six percent of respondents agree that mobile barcodes will drive innovation in mobile marketing in the next year.

Consumer demand, security and cost are the three most important factors when considering mobile barcodes as part of a marketing program.

To view the full survey results, visit www.att.com.