Additionally, advertisers with a campaign goal of increasing foot traffic grew 55 percent in July, according to the report. Increasing foot traffic was the goal for back-to-school marketers and entertainment companies driving theater sales.

“Mobile has become an essential channel for brands to reach local consumers, and this is another example of how advertisers are really focusing on bringing these consumers into the store,” said Mack McKelvey, senior vice president of marketing at Millennial Media, Baltimore, MD.

Travel on mobile
In addition to local marketing and increased foot traffic, Millennial Media’s Smart report looks specifically at the travel industry during the month of July.

The findings report that 86 percent of travel campaigns gave consumers the option to download a application, showing the growth and importance of travel companion apps in the market.

Mobile in the traveling industry is a hot topic with hotels and transportation companies relying on mobile incentives and features to streamline consumers’ trips.

For example, Marriott International Inc. recently rolled out a round of mobile tools, including a mobile-optimized Web site and apps for both iPhone and Android devices to help on-the-go consumers find and book hotels (see story).

The Millennial Media report found that the goal of 79 percent of travel campaigns was to establish a mobile presence in the industry.

Travel booking sites made up 47 percent of the travel vertical mix. Additionally, hotels and restaurants made up 21 percent of the mix.

As far as advertisers, hotel and resort companies made up 60 percent of the vertical.

On-mobile media
Millennial Media’s report found substantial growth with mobile video in campaigns.

Campaigns that gave consumers the option to watch video grew 69 percent month-over-month and made up 30 percent of overall campaigns on the Millennial Media ad network.

Video was especially prevalent in entertainment fields, especially with post-click action.

“Mobile video is proving to be an effective way to engage consumers across multiple verticals, and we’ve seen video campaigns on our network that have ranged from entertainment to auto, all the way to retailers like Patagonia,” Ms. McKelvey said.