Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of global agency network WPP, has told Mobile Marketing that he sees tremendous opportunity for mobile as a marketing channel. Speaking exclusively to us earlier today, Sorrell said he believed Google was well placed to capitalise on the mobile opportunity, and that the form factor of mobile devices should not be seen as a limiting factor.
The networks have been unable to get together to put together an advertising medium, and Google will steal their space he said. And anyone who says that the small screen on a mobile phone is a problem is suffering from old man or old woman syndrome, because they are used to looking at things on a 24-inch TV. Look at how kids use their phones, they dont see the screen as a limiting factor. Look at the iPhone, that will encourage use.
WPP is actively engaged in increasing its stake in the new media sector. Out of around 30 acquisitions made in the past few months, half have been in the online space. 25% of the companys business is in the new media sector. WPP has interests in three companies in the mobile space. It holds a 40% stake in mobile content and technology company Icon Mobile, and is also an investor in mobile search company JumpTap, and in mobile content and application research company M:Metrics