Advertising is a wonderful thing is it not? Everywhere we go we are presented with some form of campaign to convince us to buy a product.
From sporting events to Hollywood movies, manufacturers are queuing up for the chance to get their latest products endorsed by top sports stars and actors.
In the world of mobile phones this is most certainly true, utilising both film and television to attract us to purchase their latest handsets, usually through showcasing it to heroes in spy movies.
And it certainly seems to have an impact, with films like The Matrix helping to drive handset sales due to plenty of exposure during the film.
Indeed, the movie theatre as a whole has become something of a major catchment area for mobile providers. The latest phones in the film, combined with advertisements for the phone during the adverts before the film is shown in the cinema (not to mention at least one advert for a phone provider) offer maximum exposure to their target audience.
Indeed many films and television shows nowadays feature scenes with the main protagonist deep in negotiation on a really cool phone - which ultimately leads consumers to think "wouldn't THAT look cool"
However, the trend appears to be changing, with companies now encouraging the user to get involved and make movies of their own - using just their mobile phones. As camera technology on cheap mobile phones advances, the potential for amateur filmmakers is ever growing.
With video sharing websites now commonplace on the internet, it's never been easier to showcase your talents to the masses, and through these competitions we have an opportunity to experience life from different points of view.
With video-sharing sites and the manufacturers themselves running competitions - such as the Mobile Filmmaking Awards - budding filmmakers now have the chance to make their mark on a growing market.
Some phones even allow the user the opportunity to use the handset as a projector, taking the meaning of 'video-sharing' to a whole new level.
And as advertisers continue to tap into consumer expectations, developing phones which can support higher data speeds and deliver high-quality television and video files to such small handsets.
Even pay as you go mobile phones are becoming more affordable and advanced as far as technology goes, allowing more people the chance to make use of improved technology at an affordable price.
