Mobile advertising evolves. Good, bad or indifferent?

CANNES, France – Until somewhat recently our mobiles have been hermitic little creatures untainted by advertising, both high impact or viral (other than your network’s name being emblazoned somewhere across your menu screen of course). But with mobile Internet use mushrooming, our little screens have begun to witness the tendrils of temptation creep in. Plus, with online apps such as WidSets now actively encouraging ad slots in a different sort of environment, our intake of mobile advertising is becoming far more significant and less manageable to control. Virtual shopping trolleys at the ready people!

The rapid evolution of mobile advertising is inevitable, and the Guardian.co.uk yesterday wrote a piece covering a series of “Ad Labs” that Nokia is opening in London and Boston to help improve the way advertisers approach the medium.

“Speaking to MediaGuardian.co.uk ahead of the announcement of the Ad Lab initiative at the Cannes International Advertising Festival today Mike Baker, the Nokia vice-president and head of mobile advertising, said: “We want to be a catalyst in the mobile advertising ecosystem. It is seen as somewhat of a black art practised in a cottage-industry fashion.”… Baker said that the goal was to use Enpocket, now part of Nokia Interactive Advertising, to “share expertise so the market can grow more quickly”. “We see it as an open source model for everyone,” he added.”

What do you think of mobile advertising and how do you think it will end up affecting our day-to-day mobile lives? Let us know in the comments section below.

Photo from Looking Glass