I don't know about you but I use my phone constantly, I am aware of how much I use it because each week it lets me know what my usage has been. 

As we all know Mobile phone use has overtaken desktop in relation to everyday activities, so not surprisingly using the phone to actually make a call is way down the list of things we use it for. 

So as we've transferred our attention to this device its not surprising that the ad world wants to get a slice of our attention.  

The whole advertising experience on mobile is quite frankly shit - there you go I've said it because you think it as well.

I use my phone like most other people I know to stay connected with business and family activities.

If you combine that with the growing use of free to use communication tools like 'Messenger, Whatsapp' etc we're making even less of those calls via the paid celluar network, and its not going away - if you want to know how to get something for free go and speak to Generation Z.

The only place where your objectives are aligned with your media agency is to generate an ROI, which for them serves the purpose of making sure you don't move that advertising spend elsewhere. 

Sure both business models (theirs and yours) is to get the best return and over the years I have worked with some very talented guys and gals in ad land, but with ad fraud forecast to rise to $100bn+ by 2023 (madness) and their inability to provide you with an opaque audit, something that simply isn't in their interest what are you to do?.  

Having spent most of my career pre/post digital in the retail and eCommerce marketing arena 'gifting' media buying agencies sizable international budget spend I do think I'm more than qualified to understand how they work and why they struggle to get you (the client) off the digital, intrusive advertising drug. 

They tell you the reasons you can't stop advertising are complex. In fact it's quite simple, and secretly you know it - it comes down to the fact their business, objectives, focus, strategy and model is completely different than yours.

The reality is you have 'numbers' to hit so it easier doing what you already know, and of course your board have already been trained on what to expect.

Without a doubt 'content discovery' is overtaking search, and most of that discovery is taking place on social media, one of the key reasons for that change in behaviour is down to the fact that  'discovery' is not 'search', and it most definitely isn't 'intrusive'.

Do you know where I spend most of time when I'm on my phone, yes Social Networks, with LinkedIn being the one I spend most of my time on, followed closely by Twitter, then Instaglam, and less likely these days FaceBook.

The evidence is clear to me, if you want to get a share of my attention, I'm here on social media everyday......

So, instead of finding ways to promote your ads that assume I have a thumb the size of an ant to turn off that 'x' in the corner from your intrusive ad, why not spend some of that fraud ridden ad budget and create something I might actually be interested in engaging with.

Something that creates a conversation, and something that shows me your genuinely listening to me.