ComScore spots European trend for food SMS ads

Rating: Would you like a burger with that text?

The latest figures from the comScore M:Metrics Benchmark study have unearthed a definite European trend towards non-mobile products being advertised via SMS/text marketing. And food is a favourite.

Comscore says, “The fastest-growing category of SMS advertising since August 2007 is food, at a rate of 53 per cent, followed by clothing/fashion at 38 per cent and restaurants at 37 per cent.” Hang on. That means that food based products have two out of the three fastest growing sectors, doesn’t it?

On top of that, adverts for restaurants  (16 per cent) and food  (13 per cent ) also boasted the highest level of response. Those receiving an offer for food - such as a grocery coupon – responded well.

Compare that to the number of consumers responding to a mobile based product or service which remained flat at four per cent. Curiously, the actual physical number of text ads declined slightly.

There was a  drop in the number of those receiving an SMS ad from 112 million in August 2007 to 110 million in August 2008. Might have had something to do with the recession, I suppose.

“Mobile advertisers are beginning to show a higher level of sophistication in their targeting efforts, as the targeting criterion is no longer ‘has mobile phone’ but is based on knowledge of consumers’ tastes and behaviours,” said Alistair Hill, an analyst with comScore.

“While the majority of SMS adverts are still for mobile products and services, the mix is beginning to shift toward consumer goods and services,” he reckoned.

Overall, then, text based advertising is showing signs of going mainstream rather than remaining a specialist niche.