A new report from ABI Research shows that humans are indeed greedy creatures: You want something from me; you better make it worth my while.

The old adage holds true in the new world of mobile marketing. In its "Mobile Marketing and Advertising" report, ABI found that although people might initially have a negative reaction to getting ads or marketing messages on their cell phones, they often feel differently if offered the right incentive. Of the folks ABI surveyed, some 37% who've received advertising via SMS said they're more likely to respond if they're offered some sort of goodie, like a free ringtone or song or a coupon. Only 11% said their response wouldn't be affected by an incentive.

ABI research director Michael Wolf warns that advertisers and carriers need to use caution when marketing to consumers on their phones, particularly because many consumers feel that since they're paying a lot for their mobile services, they shouldn't have to put up with ads. However, ABI does see consumer acceptance in the future. "We believe that most consumers will ultimately be amenable to limited marketing on their mobile phones, particularly that which is non-intrusive, targeted, and that can bring them some kind of value in the form of both real-world and digital media-based incentives," Wolf said.