Advertising is generally believed to have begun with newspapers in the seventeenth century, and the first advertising agencies emerged in the nineteenth century.  This established advertising as an institution.  Over the past century, advertising has gained momentum and increasing power.  A lot of industries, especially the entertainment and technology industries, increasingly rely on advertising for the bulk of their revenue.

With the development of newer and more exciting technologies, advertising simply followed the trail.  From newspaper and other print ads, radio, and television commercials, advertising has found another medium in mobile web.  The mobile is the emerging battlefield of advertising.

The phenomenal growth in the users of mobile phones and other mobile communication devices open up a huge potential market for advertisers.  The media is shifting from the traditional to the innovative, and this is the generation of the early adopters.  Many consumers are now quick to pick up the latest technologies.  The mobile is a great opportunity for advertisers because the medium allows their campaigns to reach a huge number of audiences, at the exact moment that they need to.  While revenues are not exactly at groundbreaking levels yet, the big potential is there, as discussed at the 96th Association of National Advertisers annual conference in October 2006 at Orlando, Florida.  In 2006, mobile advertising revenues worldwide were at $900 million.  It is projected to reach $11.3 billion by 2011.

As the mobile technology continues to evolve, so will the types of mobile advertising.  From its simple SMS origins, we now see mobile advertising in many different mobile sites.  From simple headlines to eye-catching banners, advertisers and mobile developers alike are finding creative ways to get messages across to target audiences.  Developments in the mobile web will further push the envelope and spur the growth of mobile advertising.  As the desktop Internet continues to evolve into mobile Internet, we will continue to see a paradigm shift into mobile advertising.

The mobile advertising industry may still be in its infancy, but so far, all signs point to a steady growth.  The coming years will be even more exciting for both the mobile and advertising industries.