Every Single One Of Us kicks off ambitious and far-reaching primary research project with ÆNEAS Strategy and MSearchGroove to stimulate mobile advertising industry

London, UK – February 11, 2009 – Every Single One Of Us, a global effort aggregating knowledge, and authorising best practice and methodologies that ensure optimal mobile advertising user experience, today announced the launch of the Mobile Advertising U.K. research project.  Endorsed by leading global mobile marketing organisations, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB Europe), the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB UK) and the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), this research project will expertly document the state of the mobile advertising industry in the U.K., identify growth opportunities in the emerging mobile advertising marketplace, and benefit stakeholders, shareholders and consumers worldwide.

Mobile Advertising U.K., which enjoys the growing support of a cross-section of mobile operators, mobile companies, and big-name brands, represents the first phase of a wider pan-European and later global research project. Specifically tailored to the national needs of individual countries and their goal to educate the market and encourage discussions about emerging business models, industry issues, and areas of growth, this report will help companies engage with potential consumers and ultimately drive mobile advertising revenues and positive results.

"The goals of Every Single One Of Us and ÆNEAS Strategy are perfectly aligned with those of the IAB Europe Mobile Marketing Working Group," said Alain Heureux, President & CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, Europe. “By providing a comprehensive and expert resource, advertisers and media agencies will be able to discover and deploy new methods of engaging with their customers through increasingly cost-effective and efficient means.”

"Mobile media usage is now mainstream, and the more we can do to further educate advertisers and agencies on its potential the better," observed Jon Mew, Head of Mobile for the Internet Advertising Bureau, the trade body for digital marketing in the UK representing over 465 leading media owners and agencies. "We are pleased to be a part of this research project that will provide end-to-end analysis for mobile advertising, from the advertisers to consumers.”

“The MMA sees the education of the mobile advertising ecosystem as key to its success, particularly when it comes to the central issue of building consumer trust. We are therefore delighted to see new educational resources, such as this report, in the market place that reaffirm the importance of consumer privacy, permission, and preference, and we welcome the industry collaboration it represents," states Paul Berney, Managing Director for Europe at the Mobile Marketing Association. 

Mobile Advertising U.K. will draw upon primary research, including in-depth interviews with 25+ mobile executives, agencies and mobile networks, as well as online and mobile consumer surveys. Research will be coordinated by ÆNEAS Strategy Consulting and Management, an international consultancy firm focused on strategy & business development for the telecommunications market and global mobile industry, and conducted by MSearchGroove, a knowledge resource providing analysis and commentary on mobile search, mobile advertising and social media.

To an extent, Mobile Advertising U.K. will follow the blueprint of Mobile Advertising Netherlands, a mobile advertising research project that was sponsored by some 20+ companies including GroupM, a leading media investment management operation; telecom vendor Alcatel-Lucent; mobile operators and service providers Vodafone, T-Mobile, KPN, and Blyk; and full-service media agencies Starcom, Marvellous, MADS, WebAds, DQ&A, Mindshare, IceMobile, and Mediaedge:cia.

"The Dutch project, initiated by the Interactive Advertising Bureau and widely endorsed by companies up and down the mobile advertising value chain, was the first project to include the views of both advertisers and consumers, thus providing the industry qualitative and quantitative insights into trends and attitudes," says Tarik Fawzi, Director of ÆNEAS Strategy. "Following our success in the Netherlands, we are ready to rumble, and roll this out across Europe and the U.S., starting with the U.K., and later Germany. We are pleased to be working with Every Single One Of Us and MSearchGroove, and to have the endorsement of three of the leading global marketing organisations, strengthening us in our mission to make advertising mobile."

The success of mobile advertising and subsidised models based on delivery of content, applications, and services, is dependent upon the willingness of participants to accept advertising on their mobile devices. Ultimately, users demand advertising that relates to their interests and is tailored to their specific needs. Anything else will be perceived as ‘spam’, which degrades the experience, increases the likelihood of churn, and breeds a distinct lack of trust.

To build end-user trust, Every Single One Of Us calls on companies involved in the mobile advertising ecosystem to ensure content is delivered in accordance with the 3Ps: Permission (people will decide what brand messages they interact with); Privacy (people will decide where their data is collected and how it is used); and Preference (people will decide what content they find relevant).

“We are extremely pleased to have the support of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, Internet Advertising Bureau, and Mobile Marketing Association for this report, as it demonstrates our combined commitment to ensuring the success of the mobile medium as an effective and useful tool to communicate with consumers,” said Jonathan MacDonald, Founder of Every Single One Of Us.  “By working together, we will be in a powerful position to effect real change in the industry and deliver positive opportunities and potential for growth in this exciting space.”

The research project stage will conclude by the end of Q2 2009, and will be complemented by a range of conferences, seminars, and master-classes from the world’s thought leaders and industry heads. Research findings will be presented on June 25 in London, as part of a larger mobile advertising industry event.