Vodafone follows NAVTEQ with mobile map advertising

Vodafone has announced it will be following in digital mapping company NAVTEQs footsteps, by allowing brands to advertise on it’s own map service. Beginning later this summer, a trial for the service will let advertisers place ‘points of interest‘ on the Vodafone GPS map.

First spotted by Revolution, the opt-in service means that brands with physical locations could place icons and promotions on the map as a Vodafone user navigates. Brands will also be able to purchase higher exposure on location-based search, with the highest bidder appearing nearer the top of search lists.

From the story:

Jeremy Makin, principal product manager of mobile advertising at Vodafone Group: “KFC, for example, could have a branded icon that would show up when a consumer was nearby. They could click on it and download a discount voucher which they would take into that store to redeem. We are taking what people are doing already with search and maps and combining the two. It’s about enabling consumers to navigate more easily.”

What we think?

Hello, advertising creep! This kind of service could actually work quite well, but it depends on how many people get their icons squeezed in there. Nothing will turn people off a mapping service faster than having it swarming with icons that obscure relevant details. Vodafone bought their own mapping company last year, and I bet they’re happy now. Samsung had to go to Nokia to get theirs.