Consumer brands are not realising the full potential of mobile as an advertising medium and agencies now have a critical role to play in preaching its benefits, admits Michael Roth, chairman and CEO of advertising agency giant IPG, in a new interview with Mobile World Live.
 
“It’s growing, there’s no question that the spend is growing, but certainly not at the rate that the device universe is growing, and that’s an area that we have to do better,” Roth comments. “I think the brands were somewhat reluctant because it wasn’t a proven space and individuals tend to go to what they’re comfortable with and it’s our responsibility to help them understand the opportunities and, frankly, provide the accountability. This is all about accountability and if we can show that the return on investment in this space is real then we’re going to see a big spend increase.”
 
Roth is optimistic about future growth, downplaying intrusion and privacy concerns surrounding mobile advertising: “I think [consumers] like it because they can use it when and how they want to, so there are no time barriers on it. It’s portable, it’s always on, and the consumer can do with it as they like and so it’s incumbent upon us to provide trustworthy information and relevant information.”
 
Asked whether mobile technology is having a positive impact on IPG’s business, Roth was upbeat: “I don’t think there’s any question that [mobile advertising] has an impact and it will have an even bigger impact as we move forward.”
 
View the full interview here.