Author Matt Haig once said, “As the consumer’s device of choice, mobile is always on hand. It’s the brand’s first point of contact with the consumer, but that doesn’t mean forcing them to walk around with an entire website in their pocket. Rather, the mobile experience needs to address the context of a mobile user.”

In a recent roundtable, PluggedIn BD brought together experts in the industry (Thirstie, Mobile Evolution Marketing, YieldMo, 3Q Digital, Mobext, Sonata, & Appboy)

The conversation eventually came around to a hot topic of late: mobile ad blocking. With Apple’s (AAPL) new move to enable ad blocking on iPhones, advertisers and publishers have been bracing for a crisis. Not only have we not yet witnessed an “armageddon,” but many are scoffing at the idea of worrying about ad blocking at all. According to our experts, we should simply forget thinking about ads.to discuss mobile advertising and how brands can best engage with consumers on their “device of choice.”

The fact is, people block ads because of shitty ads (mostly video). They interfere with the mobile experience. There’s absolutely no question about that. Generally speaking, people just don’t want to see ads at all. Sure, they put up with it (when they have to), but only because it’s part of the experience. What we’re doing is inherently trying to get people to engage with something they don’t want in a place they don’t want it.

So what should we focus on instead? 

• Content: Instead of think about advertising, think about adding value. And when it comes to valuable content, relevancy is key. Provide relevant information in the moment when consumers are making a decision.

• Context: This can mean any number of things, from the location to the individual. Context makes all the difference in terms of delivering content. I don’t want to see the same thing when I’m lounging on my couch as when I’m on the move. And context leads to motivation. Now, more than ever, consumers are demanding more accuracy. They’re telling us, “If you make it relevant to me and put it in an environment that’s important to me or that makes sense, I’m more willing to see it, engage with it, and act on it.” Effective mobile engagement does a good job of looping into how consumers are feeling.

• Connectivity: Take a play from sports publishers. They’ve understood that consumers want better information and are now connecting at the game to share that information. Mobile engagement is not just an advertising revenue stream. It’s a way to connect with (and grow) the fan base.

• Insight: Knowing consumers is the most critical part. It helps target and provide relevant content. We need to use the phone as a source of intelligence, rather than something to shove things at consumers.

• Integration: We can’t just go all in on mobile. We need to take an integrated approach. Look at what Urban Outfitters did last winter: The brand took DC, Philly, and Boston, geo-targeted those three metros, and then pushed out a deal for 10% off online, saying, “We know you don't want to go outside during a blizzard.” Customers could then go in via the app. In the instance that they put some stuff into a cart and then stopped, Urban was able to see that and reach out via email with, "Hey, you abandoned your cart, come back and we'll give you 10% off." Urban really benefitted from having an integrated mobile strategy, closing the loop and preventing any leaks.

Right now, the phone is a hole that needs to be filled with more money. But the consumer is eventually going to push the fact that the phone is not just another place for ads, but rather a place to better understand how people communicate.

Ultimately, this is bigger than the device itself. This is about the construct of mobility. We need to wake up and realize that this is not some passing media channel and not a vehicle for pushing ads. We need to think beyond that.

Beintoo: John Patrick Smith, SVP of Business Development
Thirstie: Michael Subhan, VP Marketing
Mobile Evolution Marketing: Patrick Amori, Chief Mobile Strategist
Yieldmo: Dan Contento, CRO
3Q Digital: Craig Weinberg, VP Mobile Strategy
Mobext: Warren Zenna, EVP Managing Director
Sonata: Lara Mehanna, GM US, VP Sales & Business Development