R&R Partners: Build the Brand, Protect the Brand

More and more people are using their mobile phones to stay dialed in to the Internet.

Online media consumption is growing at a staggering rate with much of this growth coming from readily available mediums like mobile or devices like the iPad. Consumers are not only becoming more aware of the ease-ability of these devices, but also customization in this space; however, they have also grown readily aware of the people who are tracking this consumption.…

In the mobile space, we’re finding that more and more users are relying on their mobile Web over PC-based Internet. Sixty percent of mobile Web usage is now taking place at home, bringing the smartphone closer to the promise of being an “always on” device.

This usage leads to a larger amount of media consumption, as the Web becomes more readily available. In fact, half of all smartphone users are consuming this hefty amount at the same time they are consuming other media, whether that be while watching TV, listening to the radio and/or traveling.

But as users consume, the question becomes, can advertisers track? Whether it’s privacy rules on Facebook, what information you opt into or cookies on your Internet browser, the average Joe may not be aware that advertisers do use cookies to track what websites they are visiting, what they are buying and which creative they liked better.

However, Google is now giving users the option to select which list of interests the company associates with their computer, which will ultimately control what ads appear as the users browse. The new add-on is still currently in beta mode, but this option, along with new issues regarding behavioral targeting, may lead to difficulties for advertiser reporting on the new growth that awaits.