Mobile marketing has genuinely enabled brands to develop a conversation and build engagement with their customers, and the mobile channel continues to be one of the most powerful tools available for brands. Mobile offers brands a way to create a dialogue of interaction with their consumer that is personal, relevant and targeted, and the results of mobile campaigns are more tangible and measurable than those from other mediums.

The global economic downturn may cause brands to rethink their advertising strategies and place spend in mediums where they have had proven and quantifiable successes. With this is mind, we can expect to continue to see adoption by brands who have already engaged with the mobile channel. In 2009, the brands who have established initial interaction with consumers need to maintain this dialogue and continue to interact with their consumer base.

Also, the take-up of fast 3G services and vastly improved device interfaces have improved the user experience for millions of mobile subscribers.

According to EkoBuzz, the following will be the areas where marketer will venture and spend their marketing budgets

1. SMS will enjoy steady growth in 2009.

2. Mobile social networking applications as consumers stay in touch with friends while on the go

3. Unique ad formats that play to mobile’s strengths (“made for mobile”), rather than borrowing or repurposing concepts from the PC

4. Mobile search marketing will continue to increase in importance

5. More consistency in metrics and measurement

6. Location-based services (LBS) will form an increasingly important part in mobile marketing campaigns

7. Augmented reality based on visual codes

Japan is the most advanced country in Mobile Marketing and their real future i-mode felica, a service that turns a wireless handset into a convenient swipe tool, serving as e-money, a credit card, a ticket, or even a house or office key