I still remember the Apple ad campaign with the intentionally poor grammar.  “Think Different” we were asked to do…and man, did we listen. 
 
Now I wonder if Steve Jobs has changes his philosophy to “Think Status Quo”.    Here’s what I mean. 
 
We all look at our new smart phones and mobile devices as communication tools.  As…well, as phones and access points.     But in the advertising community, it’s looked at as the “Third Screen”….maybe more powerful and valuable than any ‘screen” than has existed to date.   The value of reaching you and me wherever we are…with knowledge of where we are.  It’s arguably scary and undeniably valuable.  But who owns your mobile attention?
 
Steve Jobs recently pulled the curtain off their plans for the screens in your pocket, purse, or satchel.   He calls it iAds, and it is an Apple owned ad sales team that sells all of your mobile time and attention when you are using apps and other mobile utilities.      Here’s a good article on concerns amongst Apple’s audience.   

I am a realist and I fully expect more and more ads to start popping up on my mobile web browser or within the mobile applications I use.     But I don’t want to repeat the model of the 1950s, where consumers let others profit from our time, consideration, and information.    If I pay for my phone, pay for my service, then the value of my time and attention on that phone using that service belongs to me, not Apple.    If Apple wants it, they can give me a free phone and subsidized phone service.   Instead, Apple will apply the typical media model, with dollars spent buying access to us going to Apple and its content creators, not us. 
 
How about cutting me in on how much I am worth?  Think Different, Steve.

No tags