Mobile-Worx is a mobile software solutions provider. Its operating platform — ZestADZ — facilitates advertising with permission from mobile phone users.
Asif Ali, Co-founder and chief technology officer. Sharp Image
The company’s business pitch: Watch a few ads on your mobile and download free ringtones or games.
The ZestADZ platform is also real time analytics enabled. Earlier this year, ZestADZ started selling ads on the Facebook mobile platform, allowing Facebook developers to integrate mobile ads with their Facebook mobile applications. ZestADZ is the first mobile ad platform from India to offer such a service for Indian mobile developers.
It basically targets people who have mobile phones with which one can access the Internet. It charges advertisers based on the number of times subscribers see the ads.
Mobile-Worx has also joined hands with New Delhi-based Tensor Technologies Pvt. Ltd to launch an ad-supported Hindi SMS solution called MeghDoot.
Why it chose to operate in this segment: Mobile-Worx is betting on growth in the country’s mobile phone user base as well as an increase in the number of people accessing the Internet from their mobile phones.
Clients:Refused to divulge.
Growth strategy:It plans to strike exclusive deals with makers of hit movies to generate traffic and attract the attention of advertisers.
“We intend to hit a billion impressions a month in traffic in the next few months,” says chief technology officer Asif Ali.
*** *** *** **** ***
It’s the most used medium, so targeting can be sharp
Mobile2Win India Pvt. Ltd
Launched: 1998. The company got into advertising last year.
Lead team: Rajiv Hiranandani, Co-founder, executive director (revenues) and country head
Rajat Jain, Managing director and chief executive officer
Ajit Joshi, Executive director (finance and accounts)
Mobile2Win is a mobile value-added services, or VAS, company that has also entered the mobile advertising space. The company offers users in-game advertisements which are non-intrusive. Last year, it created a mobile game for Domino’s Pizza that was based on the pizza chain’s TV commercial. It also handles SMS traffic for television shows such as Indian Idol.
Why it chose to operate in this segment:
The team had advertising experience, says country head Rajiv Hiranandani.
Rajiv Hiranandani, Co-founder, executive director (revenues) and country head. Ashesh Shah / Mint
Also, with 300 million people using mobile phones, each one becomes a targeted customer. Since the cellphone is the most used medium in India today, the targeting can be sharp, he says. This is not possible on the Net.
Also, with most mobile phone users in the 15-30 age group, browsing the Net via the mobile phone can become really big in the next two to three years.
Clients: Pizza Hut, Allen Solly (a Madura Garments, brand), Lacoste India.
Growth strategy: The company plans to acquire more business partners and tie up with advertising agencies. It also plans to get into more contextual advertising and take up value chains. Currently, it is setting up an ad serving platform for other media inventory.