Microsoft swallows ScreenTonic
Rating: catch-up tactics
Microsoft has signed an agreement to purchase ScreenTonic.
Who?
ScreenTonic is a European mobile advertising solutions provider. The company is one of the incumbents in the fresh mobile advertising space and has a platform for offering, reporting and managing mobile advertising services. Its solution is flexible and it can serve a number of ad formats from texts to banners.
Why?
Well Microsoft has big ambitions in mobile and has been playing catch-up. This proves acquision proves that Microsoft is serious about mobile and is developing a richer advertising strategy.
The real deal
Last month, GoMo News and BKI Media discovered that Orange loves Microsoft. Orange HQ is in France. Microsoft is helping Orange with mobile marketing… Screen Tonic is French and based in Paris. Orange HQ is in France, Paris. This acquision will serve its purpose well for Orange and Microsoft in the French market.
More in the next issue of The Mobile Advertising and Marketing Analyst and The Mobile Search Analyst
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One Response to “Microsoft swallows ScreenTonic”
As GoMo notes, Good for Microsoft, Good for the Mobile Web.
This acquisition should get some more “mobile savvy” types into Microsoft which can only help it to better understand the marketplace and shed its “laggard” image.
Might also help move French operators forward a bit into teh “off-portal” space. Since by their nature ads expose people to a world “outside the operator portal”, and educate people about visits being associated with brands other than operators, this should be good for web growth.
Its clear that businesses are moving away from a reliance on SMS for marketing response to a mobile web model where content is browsed (and potentially paid for) on the mobile. Mobile advertising flourishes in this space by driving consumers to new services. People are using their mobile web browser to get to off-portal material. [Should also be good for Bango, because we enable content providers engage quickly and easily with mobile web users and build a business on the mobile web.]
Flat rate data coming soon!
Microsoft will be aware of the plans by all major mobile operators to offer flat rate data rates for mobile web access. This will cause an explosion of activity on the mobile web and a great opportunity for advertisers - especially while mobile ads are still a novelty.
Screentonic is a good company. Lets hope their innovation is not stifled!
Comment made on May 4th, 2007 at 9:12 amLeave a Comment