Despite having one of the highest rates of smartphone use in the world, Australia has one of the lowest ad spends per smartphone in the developed world, M&C Saatchi worldwide chairman Tom Dery has told an audience of marketers and brand managers in Sydney.

Speaking at Australia’s first ‘Mobile Masterclass’ today, Dery was joined by Chris Steedman, M&C Saatchi Mobile APAC MD and Facebook Australia’s Stephen Carroll.

Using data, from eMarketer and Google/Ipsos, M&C Saatchi Mobile, showed adspend per Australian smartphone user is less than one-third of the level it has reached in the US and the UK, despite a greater smartphone penetration here than those two markets.

“This strongly suggests there exist some very large, yet-to-be tapped opportunities for Australian businesses to leverage their brands via mobile and social media,” Dery said.

M&C Saatchi social strategy director Tip Gloria told the audience social truly went mobile last year.

“It was actually December 2012 when social became Australia’s number 1 mobile activity – when mobile access for social sites exceeded desktop access,” Gloria said.