When you think of the advertising industry, do you think “staunch defender of consumer privacy?”
I didn’t think so.
But at least some leading thinkers in the ad industry ARE defending consumer privacy, and advocating that their colleagues should do the same. Here’s what Greg Stuart, former President and CEO of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, had to say to his colleagues on the subject of ads being sent to cell phones:
Fight to the death those who want to use/abuse the medium for short-term gain but long-term loss, even if a marketer. Attack any entity trying to participate in mobile who disrespects the consumer or outright annoys them. Aggressively protect consumer trust, whether it be around issues of privacy or other issues of transparency to consumer.
Of course, this is only privacy on your mobile phone. Even the readers of AdWeek think ads on the mobile phone would be incredibly annoying — fully 76% of them answered the question, “Would you be willing to receive advertising on your cell phone?” with the response, “No, over my dead body.” (Details in a pdf.)
Still, I think it is an encouraging sign.