Rating: Browser guys get more into mobile ads
Well it seems that Norway’s highly successful mobile browser company, Opera Software has gone on a shopping spree and acquired a couple of mobile advertising related companies. One of them is 4th Screen Advertising which actually says on its web site that it is still part of MIG. However as we know here at GoMo Towers, back in 16th November [2011] when Velti announced that it had acquired MIG (Mobile Interactive Group), it didn’t bother to add 4th Screen to its shopping list. The other acquisition which Opera has just made is Mobile Theory that’s curious because Mobile theory describes itself as a leading premium mobile advertising network focused on the US mobile advertising market. GoMo News had the distinct impression that out of Opera’s 160 million monthly active users, most of them weren’t in North America.The two new acquisitions don’t clash though because 4th Screen Advertising is a London based mobile advertising network focused primarily on serving the European mobile advertising markets.
“Two years ago, we announced the acquisition of AdMarvel — which has grown to become the global leader as a supply-side platform (publisher platform) for mobile advertising,” explained Lars Boilesen, Opera Software’s CEO.
“This is yet another important step in Opera’s quest to create even more economic value in the mobile ecosystem,” Boilesen added.
By acquiring two demand-side mobile advertising platforms, Opera hopes to be better positioned to deliver end-to-end mobile advertising solutions to brands, agencies, publishers and mobile operators worldwide.
What we think
It looks to GoMo News just as if Opera is diversifying its business into other parts of the mobile eco-system. Avid readers may remember that back in March [2011], Opera jumped on the app store bandwagon by opening its own Opera Mobile Store. Opera will be paying $18 million for Mobile Theory and $8 million for 4th Screen but it looks set to get a healthy return on this investment.
