Avid users of mobile video constitute a unique audience that may not be reachable via other digital media, according to a study of mobile-phone users that measures consumers' reactions and feedback to mobile video advertising and their reliance on mobile for information.

The study was conducted by InsightExpress for mobile-video delivery and ad network Transpera.

Mobile Important to Mobile-Video Viewers

Mobile video users rely more on their mobile device in general than non-viewers of mobile video viewers, and they also spend more time on their mobile device than on their computer, the study found.

For example, 62% of mobile-video users surveyed use their mobile phone more than they use a computer to browse the Internet, compared with just 9% of the non-viewers of mobile video.

Accordingly, by advertising on mobile, brands are likely to be reaching an audience they can't reach as well online or via other digital media, Transpera said.

Mobile users who watch mobile video at least once a week report media preferences and behaviors, as follows:

• 78% rely on their mobile phone for up-to-the-minute information, compared with only 19% of mobile users who have never viewed mobile video.
• 71% prefer to receive information via mobile internet, compared with just 13% of those who don't view mobile video.
• 58% get more of their news from the mobile phone than any other source, compared with 10% of those who have never viewed mobile video.
  
• 50% spend more time away from computers than in front of them, compared with the reported 21% of those not watching mobile video.

"The mobile video audience is savvy and focused on their mobile experience. These consumers are clearly comfortable with their phones; these devices are an integral part of their lives," said Phuc Truong, Managing Director, US - Mobext, the mobile marketing arm of Havas Digital.

"The audience is ever-growing and video is becoming an important component to the overall mobile mix. From an engagement perspective, brands will find this audience highly attentive."

Key Targets for Advertisers

The avid mobile-video viewer has a profile that is more attractive for brand advertisers than those who have never viewed video on mobile. For example:

• 75% of avid mobile-video users surveyed eat out of the home two or more times a week, compared with only 47% of the non-video watchers.
• 59% of avid mobile-video users have spent more than five nights in a hotel in the past year, compared with just 34% of the non-video watchers.
• 40% of avid mobile-video users earn more than $75K in annual income, compared with 25% of non-video watchers.
• 60% of the avid mobile video users surveyed are male.

"We are seeing a new breed of media consumers that are using mobile to supplement or replace their previous digital media consumption," said Joy Liuzzo, director of Marketing & Mobile Research for InsightExpress.

"Mobile is a great place for marketers to connect with savvy audiences who are increasingly relying on mobile exclusively in their daily lives. This is very important unduplicated reach for marketers, and the quality and breadth of video content now easily accessible means more and more consumers are turning to their phones for 24/7 access to news, sports, entertainment, weather and more," concluded Frank Barbieri, CEO and founder of Transpera.

About the findings: Reported data is based on sample of 3,720 consumers surveyed through InsightExpress's eRDD technology.