But, how will people actually feel about iAds?
Reviews have been mixed. A recent study conducted by JiWire found that people have been surprisingly open to mobile advertising as a whole.
Why you might ask? It turns out that if consumers can forgo paying for an app in exchange for putting up with a few ads, they're all for it. Another reason is that mobile ads tend to be tailored to specific consumer preferences (based on their location). In this way, consumers immediately benefit from deals and offers they may have otherwise missed.
On the other hand, not everyone is looking forward to iAds. An article by Slate notes that the new ads will only contribute to the online clutter by overwhelming people and invading privacy. It's also been noted that despite the hype, there really isn't anything new behind iAds, beyond the name itself.
The comments above point back to a theme we've seen since digital and mobile marketing started gaining speed: as long as the consumer believes they are being targeted in an authentic way, everything remains copacetic. Cross that line, and that's when things start to get messy. Authenticity is key for mobile marketing. If companies are bold enough to invade people's space while they're on the go, they better have something of value to offer. This holds true whether using AdMobs (Google's version of mobile advertising), or iAds.
While iAds may have a catchy name, companies choosing to be among the first to advertise through the system have realized the value of being associated with Apple. This goes to show that you can't underestimate the value of a name and the fact that consumers expect Apple to bring their "A" game, thus making them more likely to click on the ad in hopes of discovering what the "experience" is all about.
It will be interesting to see how the success (or failure) of iAds plays out and the effects that the new system will have on the way brands and consumers play in the mobile advertising space.
As the final presentation of last week's much anticipated Hispanic PR & Social Media Marketing Conference came to a close, the chatter online showed no signs of slowing down, with attendees and followers buzzing about the latest insights and trends emerging from the growing Hispanic segment.
The conference demonstrated the importance of paying attention to the needs and issues surrounding the Hispanic segment, with marketers already rethinking their strategies to effectively target and engage this audience. 








