College students are increasingly receptive to receiving advertising via text messages on cell phones and other mobile devices.

Over half of coeds would consider it, according to a new study from Ball State University, writes MarketingCharts.

Some 56.3 percent of survey respondents said they would accept ads if they were to get something free in return, said Michael Hanley, a Ball State advertising professor and mobile marketing researcher, who conducted an analysis of mobile communications by college students during 2005-07.

Among the survey findings:

• 37.4 percent of college students said it would only take the offer of a free ring tone for them to accept advertisements on their cell phones.
• 21.4 percent preferred a discount or coupon to a restaurant, movie or grocery store.
• 20 percent wanted free minutes, upgrades, access to the internet or music.

"Just a couple of years ago few college students accepted ads on their mobile devices because they felt it was an invasion of their privacy," Hanley said.

"Now all you have to do is offer free ring tones, cash or access to the internet because this age group has grown up with cell phones and other mobile devices. It is the way they communicate with each other as well as with the outside world."

MarketingCharts provides additional findings from the study.