Topic: College of Communication Information and Media

July 24, 2007

Technically oriented college students are increasingly receptive to receiving advertising via text messages on their cell phones and other mobile devices, says a new study from Ball State..

An analysis of mobile communications by college students during 2005-07 found that 56.3 percent of respondents would accept ads if they would get something free, said Michael Hanley, a Ball State advertising professor and mobile marketing researcher.

About 37.4 percent of college students said it would only take the offer of a free ring tone for them to would accept advertisements on their cell phones while 21.4 percent preferred a discount or coupon to a restaurant, movie or grocery store and 20 percent wanted free minutes, upgrades, access to the Internet or music.

 "Just a couple of years ago few college students accepted ads on their mobile devices because they felt it was an invasion of their privacy," Hanley said. "Now all you have to do is offer free ring tones, cash or access to the Internet because this age group has grown up with cell phones and other mobile devices. It is the way they communicate with each other as well as with the outside world."

The study also found 36.7 percent of college students received a text message advertisement in 2007, up 13 percent from 2005. College students are less worried today about how a business obtains their cell phone or mobile device contact information. The percentage of students who said they were "very concerned" dropped by 25 percent while "concerned a little" fell by 33 percent.

The study also found that cell phones are being used less today for talking and more for entertainment than in 2005:

  • The number of college students with cell phones with video cameras increased by 33 percent
  • Forty percent of respondents sent photos via cell phone or e-mail in 2007, up by 10 percent
  • Ten percent sent videos to another cell phone or e-mail addresses in 2007, up 7 percent
  • Fifty percent said they had downloaded a ring tone in 2007, up from 8.5 percent
  • Twenty percent have downloaded wallpapers or screensavers, an increase of 18.1 percent
     

"It's been interesting to watch the evolution of the mobile industry because college students are early adapters," he said. "It is hard to find a college student without a cell phone or another mobile communications device. It is a strong part of their generation."

By Marc Ransford, Senior Communications Strategist