Lionsgate Home Entertainment is relying on mobile advertising as a medium to drive sales for the television show "Boss."

Lionsgate is using the mobile ads to drive DVD and Blu-Ray from the TV series. The ads are running inside the Wall Street Journal iPhone application.

"I think people are buying everything through mobile ? DVD sales are disappearing but things like full seasons of TV shows still have some legs as a consumer item, and mobile can be a great way to access that," said Mike DiMarco, director of media at FiddleFly Inc., Columbia, MD.

"Almost 90 percent of mobile device users access the Web via that device while watching TV, so giving them an outlet to buy the DVDs or Blu-Rays of the shows they are watching right from that device is a no brainer," he said.

Mr. DiMarco is not affiliated with Lionsgate. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

Lionsgate did not respond to press inquiries.

Mobile entertainment
The banner ads include a picture of the cover of the Boss season one DVD/Blu-Ray disk. The ads have a direct call-to-action by encouraging consumers to tap to buy a copy.

When consumers click on the ad, they are redirected to Amazon's mobile site by leaving the app. Although the ads are effective at showcasing a particular product, using a specific landing page to initially hook a user and eventually lead to a mobile site might have been better to keep users in the app experience.

From there, consumers can either add the item to a wish list, a shopping list or check-out with an Amazon account.

Additionally, users can read reviews and browse recommended items via the mobile site.

The DVD went on sale on July 24, with the ads leading up to the release that let users pre-order their copy of the TV show.

Running this type of mobile campaign is a great way to give users an incentive - in this case pre-sale orders - for buying via mobile.

Additionally, adding a time-sensitive element to the mix is a smart way for Lionsgate to take advantage of impulse purchases from consumers who might not be near a desktop.

Bet on mobile
Lionsgate has been ramping up its mobile strategy recently.

The company recently worked with Hipcricket to build buzz around "The Hunger Games" film with a mobile ad campaign that claimed a five percent click-through rate (see story).

Additionally, last year the company partnered with Groupon on a two-day campaign that sold discounted tickets for ?The Lincoln Lawyer? across the daily deals company?s Web and mobile channels (see story).

As mobile advertising becomes more sophisticated, context and personalization are becoming top priorities for advertisers.

The Wall Street Journal app most likely catches a wide net of mobile users, meaning that the Lionsgate ad might be more relevant in a more niche, entertainment-focused app or mobile site.

"The task is to create an ad that is intriguing and relevant enough to get users to tap and visit the mobile landing page, which will in turn close the deal," Mr. DiMarco said.

"Simply using a mobile ad probably won?t persuade anyone to buy a fading technology, but creating a multi-layered, dynamic mobile interaction has a much better chance of catching plenty of impulse buys," he said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York