Myth #3: Mobile devices are too personal, leading most people to reject any advertising that appears on them.

Reality
QuickPlay's recent web survey of several hundred people shows that 54 percent of U.S. users are willing to accept ads on their mobile devices, particularly if the ads bring them access to a subsidized service. This response is especially significant because it reflects people's actual behavior and willingness to accept ads, not just a hypothetical statement for or against. Hyland believes that pricing for wireless services remains a big obstacle to their growth, so mobile users' interest in advertising implies a very positive outlook for the future.

Myth #4: Reporting on the effectiveness of wireless advertising is difficult and relatively inaccurate, partly because advertising campaign tools are still at an early stage of development.

Reality
Worldwide, accurate reporting on the details of wireless campaigns, including how much tolerance a specific subscriber has for a specific pre-roll or post-roll ad, is entirely viable. According to a recent Ad Infuse survey, wireless advertisers are already looking at a more holistic set of success metrics, including clickthrough rates, brand effectiveness studies and interaction metrics and conversion data.

In fact, wireless ad reporting is currently so sophisticated that it can deliver precise data on how much of a given ad is actually viewed by the individual on the phone. Advertisers can readily dissect the number of impressions and unique visitors associated with any mobile ad or campaign.

Currently, the pre-roll ad model is being used in about two-thirds of wireless campaigns, and is only one model among many, including overlays, that are being tested and experimented with for effectiveness.

Mark Hyland is VP of marketing at QuickPlay, a leading provider of media-on-demand for mobile devices, including the Blackberry edition of XM Satellite Radio.