(27 June 2007 3:46 pm)

MUMBAI: Hungama Mobile has tied up with Amobee Media Systems to bring mobile advertising solutions and ad-funded mobile entertainment content to the south Asian market.

The partnership will enable targeted, interactive ads to be inserted into the full range of mobile content and applications for the first time in India, including WAP Browsing, video & music, games, SMS and MMS. Amobee Media Systems is a provider of ad-funded mobile content.

Hungama Mobile CEO and MD Neeraj Roy said, "Mobile marketing is a key focus for us. With the Indian market adding over 7 million new subscribers each month, it offers immense opportunity for marketers, carriers, content owners and consumers alike. We are convinced in the ad-funded model to enhance consumption of mobile entertainment and indeed grow it from its current $23 billion market size to $42 billion over the next 3 years."

Amobee chief sales and marketing officer Patrick Parodi said, "Amobee's trials with tier-1 operators across multiple regions have shown the huge potential impact of tapping into mobile as an advertising media. Results have clearly shown that users consume considerably more content and communication in the Amobee ad-funded model than in the current 'user-pays' world. In fact, our analysis suggests that this model has the potential to quadruple the current mobile gaming industry alone."

The resulting new revenue stream for operators is particularly significant in South Asian markets, where ARPU is typically sub $8 per month.

By offering brands the opportunity to maximize the unique potential of mobile as an advertising media, operators will be able to deliver 'more for less' to their subscribers in the form of advertising-subsidized content and communications.