Mobile ad spend from the retail and restaurant sector has exploded in the last 12 months, according to the latest SMART report from Millennial Media. The companys research finds that mobile ad spend in the sector has grown 1,342 per cent comparing Q1 2010 to Q1 2011. 

Telecoms came in second, recording growth of 242 per cent.

The number of mCommerce advertising campaigns are up 30 per cent quarter-on-quarter, according to the report, which also found that campaigns that offer consumers the opportunity to make a purchase via their handset grew by 30 per cent. 18 per cent of all campaigns prompted users to perform a social media action such as a Facebook like or a tweet. 

According to the report, the top campaign goal for mobile advertisers is “sustained in-market presence”. 

Another significant growth area over the last quarter is targeted local advertising, according to Millennial. This grew by 24 per cent, and represented 42 per cent of all campaigns that targeted a specific audience. 

The report is available from the Millennial Media website.