But as the barriers to entry start to come down, the hardest work for marketers really begins now, said Stoller. And simply duplicating applications used for other digital media won't cut it in the mobile space. "I think banners and text that say 'buy Pepsi' are never going to work," he said. "The whole model needs to be rethought."

Procter and Gamble, meanwhile, has launched a Mobile Ad Lab. which will create 35 mobile marketing programs over the next nine months. "Two-thousand seven will be a year of growth for the U.S. mobile industry. We will be seeing a lot of the large marketers entering the arena with test and learn executions," said mobile marketing guru John Hadl, who advises P&G.

As a result, next month the DMA will publish guidelines on marketing via Bluetooth and will raise the issue of initial opt-in with its new Mobile Marketing Council. This is extremely encouraging, hopefully meaning that marketers will learn to walk before racing ahead with this new channel.
No matter what the outcome, I can’t help thinking that whatever emerges with the advent of BlueCasting, the issue here has to be consumer choice. Communications must be targeted, permission based and above all engaging to combat consumer aversion. A mature, long-term approach that focuses on creating a dialogue with a customer - not a monologue - is essential. Otherwise, we risk wrecking the potential of this exciting, new medium.