Having already become the leading provider of managed services to mobile operators, Ericsson is hoping to gain further inroads with the launch of its mobile advertising platform, AdMarket.
The company, which will face competition from Apple, Google and other suppliers in the mobile advertising sector, said that AdMarket offered operators a hosted platform to deliver targeted ads to handsets. The company claimed that AdMarket would also be used to build a broad ecosystem of advertisers, content publishers and developers who add value to the services.
"Extending our role in mobile advertising by introducing AdMarket is a natural step for us and our customers," said Christina Bäck, head of Ericsson's advertising business. "With our telecoms expertise, global reach and local presence with operators in 175 countries, we are better equipped than anyone else to bring telecom assets to the mobile advertising industry."
Separately, a study conducted by the IAB--the trade body for mobile and online advertising--and the DMA--the trade association for direct marketing--found that operators were well positioned to provide mobile advertising to new customers. Apparently, consumers believe operators to be trusted providers of messages, second only to friends and family.
The survey also indicated that MMS ads had the highest impact, with Clare Messenger, head of commercial development for mobile messaging for Orange, claiming that consumers preferred the richer, more creative experience that MMS could offer.
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