Ahead of the iPhone 5 launch event due to take place this evening, the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) credits the iPhone with changing the face of the mobile advertising industry. 

Devices like the iPhone have made it possible for marketers to target individual consumers with contextually relevant communications, says the MMA. Useful and relevant communications tailored to the consumer based on their location and preferences are now the focus of mobile marketing. 

“The iPhone has been a catalyst for growth and evolution in mobile marketing,” says Paul Berney, the MMAs CMO and MD for the EMEA region. “From the ease of use, high-speed connectivity, touchscreen interface, integrated third-party applications and location awareness – to name but a few key features – the iPhone set a standard for smartphones. It greatly contributed to the trend for the always-on mobile consumer which brands and marketers have been able to leverage for their communication strategies.”

Berney says that, while its impossible to say how the market would have panned out without the introduction of the iPhone, theres no doubt that the device helped to bring about the “paradigm shift” in campaign style on mobile. “The iPhone, and latterly Android, moved mobile marketing from an interruption based model to one based on interaction and engagement; connecting with the consumer based on utility and need.

“As with every iteration of the iPhone so far, were excited to see what new functionality the new version will offer marketers, just as we watch the developments made by every handset manufacturer with interest. With every additional functional improvement comes our deepening reliance on both the handset and the mobile channel as a whole, which can only mean new opportunities for mobile marketers.”

The MMA is currently hosting the MMA Forum in London; head to its closing day tomorrow for reaction to the iPhone 5 event, and more on the MMA Forums central theme – the pivotal role of the consumer in mobile marketing.