Limbo's Quarterly Study Shows iPhone Users Are 23 Percent More Aware of and 66 Percent More Likely to Respond to Mobile Advertising

BURLINGAME, Calif.-- Limbo, one of the largest mobile social networks in the US, and GfK Technology, a leading market research agency, today released their latest joint Mobile Advertising Report (MAR). The fourth quarter report reveals that iPhone users are more than twice as likely as non-iPhone users to browse the mobile Web and more than three times as likely to use a location-based service (LBS) or a location-based social network. With more than 80 percent of iPhone users taking advantage of non-voice mobile data services, compared to just over 60 percent of non-iPhone users, the report suggests that advertisers can reach iPhone users with mobile campaigns more easily than with other platforms.

"For the first time, this report compared iPhone users with non-iPhone users in order to better evaluate and more clearly understand the impact of mobile marketing on each platform," explained Limbo CEO Jonathon Linner. "We found that the iPhone users are not only more accessible, but are also more aware of all mobile ads including those outside of the typical SMS and mobile Web formats. In addition, this report shows that other mobile ad formats, including location-based services, are growing and gaining traction, with iPhone users serving as the early adopters."

One in ten mobile phone users in the U.S. used a location-based service such as a map, friend or restaurant finder in Q4. The 25 - 34 age group saw the highest levels of interest in this type of offering, with 22 percent penetration. In contrast, iPhone users are four times as likely to recall LBS ads as non-iPhone users. While 33 percent of mobile consumers recall seeing mobile advertisements this quarter, 41 percent of iPhone users recall seeing mobile ads. The vast majority of these ads were seen in SMS text messages, twice as much as mobile Web ads, which are the second most common mobile ad viewed.

Significantly fewer consumers see other forms of mobile advertising - unless they have an iPhone. iPhone owners are twice as likely to see mobile Web ads and four times as likely to see an ad while playing a game on their phone or while using a location-based service.

Additional comparisons uncovered in the report include:

    * One in three consumers that recall seeing a mobile ad responded in some way; this rises to one in two for iPhone users
    * Calling a toll free phone number published in the ads is the most common means of response; iPhone users called twice as much as non-iPhone users
    * One in seven mobile phone users visit a mobile Web site, the second most popular response; this rises to one in five for iPhone users
    * One in seven consumers reported buying a product or visiting a store as a result of seeing a mobile advertisement; for iPhone users, more than one in four bought something as a result of seeing an ad
    * While men and women are equally likely to recall mobile advertising, women are 85 percent more likely to respond to ads than men

"The latest Mobile Advertising Report reveals a huge opportunity for advertisers to create iPhone-specific campaigns in order to see higher response rates for their mobile efforts," said Colin Strong, head of Mobile Communications Research at GfK Technology. "With this report serving as a benchmark, we will be able to analyze how the landscape is changing throughout 2009 and monitor the impact of iPhone user behavior on the rest of the U.S. mobile market."

About the Mobile Advertising Report

The Limbo-GfK Technology Mobile Advertising Report is a tool used to help marketers and their agencies understand the fast-changing mobile advertising medium. The report is produced quarterly and is distributed free to marketers. The Q4 2008 report is based on a survey of 1,000 representative American adults and 1,000 UK adults interviewed by telephone.

To receive a copy of the full report, as well as future editions, send your request to

About Limbo

Limbo (www.limbo.com) is one the world's largest, fastest growing mobile social networks where people share the places they go and the things they do. In Limbo, members broadcast their location, locate bars, clubs or restaurants, and coordinate their friends with group text. All tools and services are free to members thanks to the support of interactive, highly targeted, location-based mobile advertisements.

The award winning, privately held company is headquartered in Burlingame, Calif. and has over three million opted-in members, more than thirty percent of which participate in the community each month. Limbo is backed by three of the world's top venture capital funds: Azure Capital Partners (www.azurecap.com), Draper Fisher Jurvetson (www.dfj.com), and New Enterprises Associates (www.nea.com).

About GfK Technology

With a global team of over 200 research professionals in 40 countries, GfK Technology is a leading provider of tailored consumer and business related research services to the Technology, Telecommunications, Media and Entertainment industries. As these sectors continue to converge and evolve, the opportunities for the industry players are huge. But they face many challenges - increasingly complex markets; new types of competition; and the need to carefully manage growth and diversification. At the same time, consumers and businesses are becoming more demanding, sophisticated and influential in the way that they choose, buy and use technology, data and content - increasingly on the move.

To find out how GfK Technology can help you meet these challenges and exploit new opportunities, visit our website at www.gfknop.com/technology.