By 2019, almost 15% of UK internet users will access online content exclusively through mobile devices (tablets, smartphones, and wearables).

This was one of the statistics presented by Nick Reid, managing director, TubeMogul at the company’s 'Summer of Mobile' brand event yesterday (August 11) in the build up to a lively panel session debating the current state of mobile video advertising and the developments required for mobile as a platform, and video as a format to be as effective as possible.

The panel was chaired by TubeMogul’s mobile product lead Antoine Barbier, who was joined by: Ben Phillips, global head of mobile at MediaCom; David Amodio, digital and creative leader at Channel 4; Alex Newman, head of mobile EMEA at OMD International/OMG EMEA; and Dan Williams, global online media manager at Shell.

Why does mobile ad spend lag behind consumer eyeballs?

There is a continual murmur in ad tech circles about the fact that ad spend on mobile is not growing at the same rate as consumer time spent. David Amodio from Channel said: “Around 35% of [Channel 4] media consumption is now mobile”.

This is slightly ahead of eMarketer’s prediction that in 2015 mobile will account for 25% of daily media time; reflecting a greater propensity for Channel 4’s audience to consume content online, rather than via traditional channels. Yet it will be 2018 (according to eMarketer) before global ad spend on mobile approaches one quarter of total ad spend; by which point, consumer time on mobile is likely to be closer to half of daily media time.

The panellists were united in calling out deficiencies in mobile ad measurement and tracking as the main reasons ad spend lags behind consumer habit. Alex Newman from OMG said: “Understanding how to attribute a conversion on mobile and how to measure and understand the role mobile plays is still a critical barrier”. Amodio said: “Desktop is still the most trackable”. Phillips added: “Many marketers are still using desktop programs for mobile measurement, when they should be using mobile-specific products”.

However, we know that some brands are leading the way and finding ways to overcome the barriers in mobile. Dan Williams from Shell said: “We are close to having what we need as a business. Being able to show someone came into a store is massive, and we’re close to doing that”. Williams also pointed out that the consumer experience was paramount to the brand, stating that mobile should be a “premium experience”.

Mobile is not a channel, it is a platform

In the media planning landscape, mobile is the latest platform to emerge, joining advertising stalwarts TV, print, radio, outdoor, and the previous newcomer – online. Mobile devices collect vast amounts of highly valuable data: device type, geography, time of day, and app & site behaviour. Marketers who understand the value of this data are using it to inform media buying decisions across multiple channels.

“Mobile underpins decisions in multiple channels”, said MediaCom’s Ben Phillips. He added: “We think in terms of mobile plus another channel, e.g. TV equals. We do not see mobile as a silo solution. We look at consumer journey profiling through mobile and look at how and where people are using mobile and apply that data to out of home and TV buying decisions”. Newman added: “Mobile is not a channel, it is a platform, everything is mobile: search, email, display, and video. Mobile should be part of every channel”.

The coming of age of mobile creative

Mobile has been somewhat neglected when it comes to creative. All too often, TV commercials or desktop display ads are repurposed for mobile, yielding less than impressive campaign results.

Amodio said: “When you’re on a mobile device, it’s easy to share content, which should be considered when designing the creative”. The biggest limitation is, according to Phillips: “The content given to the media agency”, his point being that media planners can only plan media that is compatible with the formats they are given, and if they are not given formats that foster engagement, they are forced to use out-of-date KPIs, such as conversion rate or click through rate. For example, 93% of users watch mobile video with the sound muted, therefore, the creative needs to have a call-to-action overlaid in text format, otherwise how can you expect consumers to know what you want them to do. Amodio said: “You’re not going to get different copy for every platform, but you can tailor what you have”. For Phillips it’s all about “not wasting the intelligence you have by serving an irrelevant ad”.

The role of the creative agency has changed. It’s no longer about delivering the final ad creative, but instead, providing component parts that the media agency piece together based on data-driven decisioning.

Ad blocking technology: friend or foe?

There was a divide of opinion regarding ad blockers, with Phillips of the opinion that the availability of ad blocking technology forces marketers to make advertising interesting and relevant and avoid driving consumers to install ad-blocking technology. Newman seconded this opinion, saying that ad blockers will result in the decline of unethical mobile practices that harm development. He added: “Ad blocking challenges marketers to come up with more novel ways to advertise on mobile that are wanted [by consumers]”.

So, it seems that ad blockers pose a bigger threat to mobile publishers that stand to lose out on advertising revenue, if practices are not cleaned up as advertisers will simply move their mobile budget into other channels, leaving publishers with eyeballs on mobile sites, but no way to monetise them.

Predictions for the future of mobile video

The future of mobile video is promising. Cisco forecasts that 72% of global mobile traffic will be video by 2019.

Increased creative options will facilitate better consumer engagement.

Advances in measurement technology will empower marketers with the data they need to increase investment.

Redefining viewability and fraud standards will build brand confidence.

Ultimately, though, it’s about moving away from media-led or creative-led strategies and adopting an audience-led approach, putting the consumer at the heart of every marketing and advertising decision.