News

A survey of teenagers from the consumer research arm of Alcatel Lucent suggests advertisers and telecoms companies could be doing much more to reach the youth demographic by turning the mobile phone into the same kind of shopping and advertising portal as the computer, television or shopping mall.

A research programme focused on the user experiences of teenage music fans found that the mobile shopping experience was not "intuitive, easy or fun" in the way that teenagers experienced shopping online or in the mall. The lab's user group expressed "significant interest" in receiving personalised advertising messages and special offers relevant to them, and were surprised at the lack of visible, relevant brands on their mobile and wanted to be marketed to in the same way they are online or when out shopping.

June Bower, vice-president of consumer and entertainment marketing for Alcatel-Lucent, said: "Teenagers are willing to receive special offers and use their mobile phone to shop if it gives them information about, and access to, the things they want."

The research also provides the technology and communications firm with input into product development, such as a new mobile content software programme that allows mobile operators to deliver personalised content and advertising to subscribers. The 5965 mobile content platform collects subscriber data on users, has an online shopping facility and also tracks the behaviour of users both off and off the software portal to help advertisers target relevant consumers.

Source: Alcatel Lucent Paris, 13 June

Review by Joe Gill