It's an App, App World

Greystripe, a rich media mobile advertising network, just published their quarterly Consumer Insights Report. It shows that users average 9.6 minutes of engagement per session on free iPhone applications -- not to shabby. Based on data generated via the 600 free, ad-supported iPhone apps in their network, consumers access apps 19.9 times over before discontinuing use. I'd say that's about how many times I used iFog and TipStar before they fell off the face of the (iPhone) earth.

Additional findings worth noting:

• 42% of the firm's free iPhone app users have an HHI of $78K+
• 15% earn $165K+ (extremely affluent)
  
• 91% are involved in their household purchasing decisions
• 65% of Greystripe's users said they would interact more with an ad if it were an interactive ad, as opposed to a static ad
  

Greystripe has made a name for themselves as the only mobile ad company that offers full-screen Flash ads on the iPhone. One of these formats is the Tailgate rich media ad format that the user interacts with before they access the actual game before they download. Basically, this is an advergame for the iPhone with the benefit of reaching a wide audience.

Source: FierceMobileContent

iPhone Interactive Video Ads are Here

Rhythm New Media just announced a new iPhone video ad unit, which for the first time includes in-video interactivity. By using the unique touch capabilities of the phone, Rhythm can overlay TV style ads with touchable buttons that activate a call, SMS, maps, or another video. Lincoln and Pepsi have signed up as the first advertisers for this new unit.

The first iPhone application to run these new ads is vSNAX Videos. They offer free, high quality videos from more than 25 premium media partners. Short pre and post-rolls (5 to 30 seconds) are dynamically inserted.

Directionally Challenged

Oh the image of the classic family road trip. Five people piled in a van, bursting at the seams with mismatched luggage. The resident navigator is riding shotgun, head tilted, trying to make sense of a map that had been stuck in the glove compartment since the beginning of time.

Nowadays, consumers are creating their own maps and experiences. Imagine a time before MapQuest and Google Maps! No longer does the navigator struggle with locating highways on a complicated map- they are able to read turn-by-turn directions and even find businesses along the route.

Companies are even starting to think about providing mobile guides for certain cities. While maps are often left in the car or lost, mobile phones are an extension of today's consumer. Do Me ... London, a provider of mobile entertainment guides, recently launched information for London. Users can request a tour via SMS and then a link is provided so free information can be obtained. Including:

Index of 80 attractions
Free audio guides
Finding tips about the city

While the site is not flashy or fancy, the concept is quite advanced (not to mention it will begin to open up opportunities for advertisers). The social aspect will continue to evolve as well. On the Do Me ... London site, there is an area where consumers snapped photos of themselves using the product. I could eventually see users submitting reviews of landmarks and providing travel tips.

Will the family road trips of 2010 have everyone Twittering and Whrrling and Yelping and Google SMSing from their 6th gen iPhones?