Mobile Advertising: Does it Work for Everyone?

Abstract

Mobile advertising has gained popularity over the last several years. However, companies who intend to adopt this type of media should do it consciously, due to the unique characteristics of this media. This study examined circumstances in which mobile advertising may be more effective. Using a sample of 239 participants, we found that consumers are more likely to accept mobile advertising for certain product/service categories, such as weather forecasting, traffic updates, movie release, and job openings. Perceived message credibility play a major role in consumers’ attitude formation and adoption intention whether consumers are willing to pay for the services. For consumers who prefer free mobile advertising services, their ability to adopt high technology, inertia, and their motivation for entering also affects their attitudes toward mobile advertising. We do not find demographic variables related to consumers’ attitude toward mobile marketing and adoption intention. The results of this study suggest that building trust with consumers is very important for companies who intend to adopt a mobile adverting strategy.