Ericsson/TeliaSonara launch 'Personal Pod Advertising Service'

An agreement between Ericsson and TeliaSonera sees the introduction of a new, personalized mobile advertising system to be made available later this year.

by Helen Leggatt

Called the "Personal Pod Advertising Service" the new system will send out podcasts to opted-in consumers overnight, when networks are less congested.

The service, which has been successfully tested with a media company in Sweden, will initially be targeted at loyalty companies looking to provide their members with more tailored and richer marketing messages. Consumers are able to construct a profile on an advertiser's website and, based on that profile the advertiser provides updates on selected products either via text, video or audio. This information is packaged in podcasts and sent to the consumer's mobile phone overnight.

"Partnering with Ericsson lets us enter a new market segment offering retail companies a new tool for reaching consumers with specific information and advertising which the consumers themselves have signed on for," said Erik Hallberg, Senior Vice President and Head of at TeliaSonera Mobility Services in Sweden.

The service allows operators to earn revenue on ads dispatched while retail companies can track consumer behavior and interact with specific target groups.

In addition, consumers that sign up for the service will be able to forward on the messages to friends and family, too, providing a viral element.

Tags: Ericsson, opt-in, personalized mobile advertising, podcast, retail, Sweden, TeliaSonara