Apple made it official, announcing they will reject any app that "uses location-based information primarily to enable mobile advertisers to deliver targeted ads based on a user's location."

While not surprising, it should not discourage marketers looking to use location-based ads.  Crisp delivers 100% opt-in location advertising for mobile web and apps (yes, including iPhone apps!)

Looking to target iPhone users to drive them to your nearest retail location?  With Crisp's location-aware ad units, it's a snap.  Want to allow Blackberry users to input their zip code into an ad unit to get directed to the nearest theater?  No problem.  Crisp delivers location-based ads across a wide array of publisher sites and apps.

How does it work?  In each instance, the user provides their consent to allow the ad unit to utilize their location.

Example Campaign:

If you are an advertiser looking to leverage location targeting, contact us at sales@crispwireless.com.
 

While it remains to be seen if the iPad is a device game-changer, we do know that it requires a new approach to advertising.  iPad users will enjoy the full Internet browsing experience with the bandwidth, screen size, and input mechanisms to interact with the same websites as they do from their desktop PCs.  With one big exception – the iPad will not support Flash, at least not initially.

What does the lack of Flash support mean for advertising on the iPad?  Missed opportunity.  Online ad networks such as Tribal Fusion, Glam, and 24/7 Real Media, as well as publishers that sell direct, are not equipped to deal with non-Flash rich media ads.  So how will brand advertisers reach this potentially fertile audience? 

We’ve already solved this problem for other mobile devices and are rapidly extending these rich media formats to large format devices such as the iPad.  The Crisp Rich Media Ad Platform supports rich media JavaScript ads that can be rendered on both the iPhone and iPad.  Our platform integrates with online ad servers, such as DART and ATLAS, making it possible to integrate your mobile and desktop ad serving.  We also deliver the critical engagement reporting you expect from rich media advertising.

If you are an agency, ad network or publisher interested in advertising on the iPad, contact Crisp, we can support your rich media advertising needs on the iPad from day one.
 

I recently attended DigiDay: APPS in New York, focused on social and mobile applications.  With all the debate over native apps and web apps for mobile, the attention at this show was clearly on social.  Jason Calacanis, founder and CEO of Mahalo, stole the show with a blistering criticism of Steve Jobs and equating Apple with Microsoft.  His message was so relevant to mobile in his lament about how applications are not as open as the web and focus the mania on Apple, rather than innovation.

Many mobile ad networks, including Quattro and AdMob, were on hand to present recent case studies from recent in-app campaigns.  It was very interesting to note the large percent of their business that comes from in-app advertising, primarily focused on the Apple iPhone.  It seems that much of in-app advertising is driven by application developers seeking to increase discovery of their apps, and thereby improve their ranking in the AppStore. 

What is clear is that creating a quality brand experience that maintains the integrity of the application is critical to the brand perception and overall effectiveness of a campaign.  This is where it is essential to work with a mobile expert that can create this engagement within the envelope of the application.  But more on what we are doing in that area later.  Stay tuned and leave us a comment if you will be at DigiDay: Mobile in September.