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Using Bluetooth technology for localized advertising
TELiBrahma Convergent Communications Pvt. Ltd
Launched: 2004
Lead team: Narasimha Suresh, Chief executive officer
Ravi B., Technical director
TELiBrahma is a mobile solutions provider and offers Bluetooth-enabled advertising solutions for cellphones. It does not use GPRS or any network-dependent technology to push mobile advertisements. It uses Bluetooth technology that makes localized advertising easier, particularly in places such as malls, streets and stadia. The only requirement is that customers keep the Bluetooth option on their cellphones switched on.
Narasimha Suresh, Chief executive officer. Hemant Mishra / Mint
Last year, TELiBrahma launched its Bluetooth advertising solution in Bangalore’s shopping hub, Commercial Street. The whole street has been converted into a Bluetooth zone and customers here can avail the best of deals and discounts offered by retail shops at zero cost by switching on the Bluetooth application on their mobile phones.
Why it chose to operate in this segment: Chief executive Narasimha Suresh says the mobile phone as a device has huge potential in India. Also, as Indians are more content-driven, handsets have a bigger role to play here.
The company got interested in mobile advertising as it saw a huge potential for information dispensing — brands could use the mobile channel to make offers to customers. Value addition to both customers and brands will drive the growth of mobile advertising in India, Suresh adds.
Clients:Local players, Nokia India, Coca-Cola, BlackBerry, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, HSBC Bank, ICICI Bank.
Growth strategy:The company plans to expand its customer base and is deploying its mobile advertising solutions in cricket stadia during the ongoing India-Australia cricket series.
The company also plans to launch a few more mobile phone applications. It currently has 50 brands using its advertising solutions and plans to acquire five to six new customers every month. Besides targeting local markets, TELiBrahma will also look at becoming a national player in two years.
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Personalizing audio ads to fit the caller’s profile
OnMobile Global Ltd
Launched: 2000
Lead team: Arvind Rao, Chairman, chief executive officer and co-founder
Mouli Raman, Chief technology officer and co-founder
Rajesh Moorti, Chief financial officer
Debraj Tripathy, Strategic business unit head — mobile marketing
OnMobile helps clients design a mobile marketing campaign that is personalized, targeted and measurable.
Arvind Rao, Chairman, chief executive officer and co-founder.
The company launched its mobile marketing offering called Ad Ring Back Tones, or Ad RBT, two months back. When a user subscribes to Ad RBT, anyone who calls the subscriber’s number is presented with audio ads that are personalized to fit the caller’s profile.