iPhone apps – a new form of advertising?

As you know, there are several hundred different iPhone applications available.  You can do anything from managing your expenses to drinking a pretend beer and swinging around a light saber.  With all of the fun new ways to engage the population, it was only a matter of time until advertisers decided to capitalize on the craze.

The latest brand to hop on the iPhone app bandwagon is Baskin Robbins.  In an attempt to launch their soft ice cream nationally they have decided to create a ‘Yay Button’ app in addition to their TV campaign.  It is designed to help consumers find the nearest Baskin Robbins location using the GPS in their phone.

Other brand apps have already proved to be very successful.  The Kraft ‘iFood Assistant’ made the Top 100 Apps list and gets to not only market itself in the app, but also the many other brands under that name such as Oreo, DiGiorno, Planters and Miracle Whip by incorporating those products into the included recipes.

 With other brands such as Budweiser, Ralph Lauren, Weight Watchers and Chanel paving the way, it seems that we may have effectively found a new way of advertising that is not only innovative and cost efficient for the advertiser, but the consumer enjoys it enough to actually pay for it!  The success of these campaigns begs the question… is this a smarter way rather than the traditional banner and pop-up ads we currently see during the application runtime?