Podcast: Play in new window
When I interviewed Kirsten McMullen, Director of Marketing at 4INFO in August, 2009, we discussed how SMB’s can effectively use SMS mobile advertising at reasonable costs to engage mobile phone users. Since then, the firm has added a kaleidoscope of new services for advertisers, brands and its publishers as the industry grows globally to $3.5B in 2010. Nielsen is more conservative with its forecast of $750M. But whatever the total ad spend, it’s undeniable that digital marketing and advertising will grow exponentially in the next five years.
In 2009 the company, one of the largest SMS search and text messaging firms with a an audience of 63 million mobile users, acquired Butter, a mobile app company with expertise in iPhone and Android OS mobile applications.
Recently, the company launched a mobile advertising platform called AdHaven to serve top advertisers, agencies and brands, adding display, app, SMS, video and rich media ad units. Offering a variety of ad types provides a one-stop shop for advertising clients.
The mobile advertising firm also created partnerships to deliver mobile advertising via 50 carriers to 17 Latin American countries.
A recent Wall Street Journal article says that Apple’s high prices for its iAd mobile advertising service are driving mobile advertisers to companies like 4INFO, Crisp Wireless and others.
Julie Shumaker, who joined the company in May, 2009, has built lifestyle media businesses with interactive technology, community and commerce companies. As senior vice president of sales and marketing, she’s responsible for advertising sales, corporate marketing, public relations, market research, as well as advertising program development and expansion.
In our podcast interview, Julie discusses 4INFO’s service offerings, why some marketers have yet to jump into mobile advertising and its future offerings for F100 advertisers and premiere publishers.
Links:
Display Ad Rankings (Mike Boland – Kelsey Group)
Mobile Advertising Landscape (mSearchGroove)
