Funambol teams with Amobee for ad based mobile email

by: admin Wednesday, February 6th, 2008

Rating: advertising on email is awful

by Bena Roberts

I had a hotmail account and every time I sent a mail – hotmail would add an advert. When I use the new mobile yahoo oneSearch for my gomonews (at) yahoo account I get the odd advert. But I can live it with it because it’s a quick fix of email on the move. But this (Amobee and Funambol) sounds as though it is an ad-based mobile email service.

What?
Basically an ad-funded mobile product to drive adoption of mobile email.

From the press release
“Mobile email is the ultimate killer app for mobile, and with an ad-supported model, people around the world can now more cost-effectively access consumer and work email, contacts and calendars on their mobile devices,” said Fabrizio Capobianco, CEO of Funambol. “We are excited to work with Amobee as our mobile advertising partner because Amobee has developed the most advanced advertising solution for mobile operators. Both companies share a vision of delivering carrier-grade solutions for the mass market at a price point that drives adoption and increases revenue throughout the mobile ecosystem.”

I have very little time left next week at Mobile World Congress but I will make a point of going to see this. I don’t believe that it can be unobtrusive. On top of that I think with email its the only time when adverts should be generic and not relevant. Email is personally or often in the business environment private. So using ad funded models for mobile email need to offer (U-rated) ads for everyone. If I thought that keywords in the email were trying to targetize the adverts as is often with SMS – I would have a heart attack.

Of course this is personal, but there are huge huge issues about personalisation and youth might not be that bothered about ads in email – but it’s all about personal choice and I know I don’t want adverts in my email.