Mobile payment is not the only -- or even the most interesting -- use of NFC. The technology virtually eliminates the friction inherent in other forms of mobile activation, including beacons. Australian firm Tapit has been flying early campaigns using the tech, and is extending its presence to the U.S.

Mobile advertising has a content problem on its hands -- how can engagement, data, and creative all correlate with one another? A consumer's ability and willingness to engage with content is the biggest factor in determining its consumability. But the industry still lacks a standard set of best practices for gathering and utilizing consumer data. The result is a data collection free-for-all, where brands and advertisers try to collect as much data as possible.

Mobile marketers are looking for countless ways to interrupt and modify user behavior, in much the way they have in other media for a century. They still only half-grasp how much mobility is tied up with people's sense of empowerment and self.

Marketing, in its purest form, tells a story -- ideally, a good story. However, the reception of the story, similar to the reception of a marketing campaign, can be highly subjective. A nail-biting account of the sudden death, come-from-behind win of the Super Bowl underdog will likely command a better reaction, and have a higher degree of engagement, when delivered at a sports bar than shared at a bridge club meeting. The customer response to marketing efforts, similar to the response to fairy tales and sports stories, can fluctuate greatly depending on the audience.

With user-generated content so rich and freely available online, straight marketing messages just aren't cutting it like they used to. Marketing must move into a participatory age where user-generated content sits at the center of the customer journey and brand Web sites emerge as social hubs in their own right. Marketers that recognize the true potential of social content will reap the benefits.

In its new Instagram campaign, Amex allows members to take over the feed for a day. The model recognizes that the real energy of mobile media is personal perspective and appreciation of moments.

The best marketing is based on relationships, which can truly encourage behavior and an emotional response in a way that banner ads, coupon offers and pop-up messages cannot. This is especially relevant in the mobile environment, where consumers have a deep and emotional relationship with their smartphones. They expect the experiences they engage with from publishers and advertisers to be equally tailored and relevant. The goal is to build the relationship through strong, relevant content and enable consumers to participate, thus enabling your brand to join the conversation.

In another scheme to pay consumers directly for their attention, a new platform will put cash in your PayPal account if you take an SMS message from political candidates. Can they actually pay us enough to voluntarily expose ourselves to more of this stuff?