Abstract:

Research conducted on short message service (SMS) text message advertising to US consumers is still in its infancy. So too, is its application in marketing communication efforts in the US. Because the adoption of mobile phone technology is far more advanced in Europe, Asia and Australia (Muk, 2007), there is more to learn about comparative attitudes toward the SMS ad in these cultural contexts.

An adapted survey from two previous studies (Bhattacherjee & Sanford, 2006; Merisavo, et al., 2007) was completed by 200 participants to measure attitudes toward SMS advertising. Results show US consumers’ attitudes toward SMS text ads are generally negative. However, when trusted brands offer SMS advertising, they show significant impact (p. <.001) with respect to usefulness, acceptance and involvement. The study also compares US consumer attitudes toward SMS text message advertising against previously published studies in other cultures, and draws conclusions about directions for SMS text advertising applications and efficacy.

Keywords:

SMS, mobile, advertising.