RBR-TVBR FIRST:
TargetSpot, the nation’s largest Internet radio ad network, announced it has added a mobile ad platform and will serve up audio ads to mobile apps on iPhone, Android and BlackBerry smartphones. An important part of this growth comes from its expanded partnership with Slacker Radio to include mobile advertising. TargetSpot started working with Slacker in 2008 to sell Slacker’s audio ad inventory and will now serve them to its mobile apps as well.
RBR-TVBR spoke with TargetSpot Co-President/Sales Andy Lipset: “We all see the mobile marketplace is growing rapidly. Slacker, for example, has seen enormous growth since entering into the arena, with more than 50% of its audience listening through a mobile device. What is significant about this announcement from an advertising standpoint is that this is the first time that audio ads will be served dynamically into the mobile platform. The game changer is that we will be able to reach listeners with audio ads on their mobile devices based upon their location, device or select demographics. TargetSpot advertisers will not only reach a listener at their computer in the office, but now on the go, whether the listener is on the 405 in LA stuck in traffic or walking down 3rd Avenue in Manhattan streaming Slacker on their mobile device.”
Partners such as Slacker will sell their mobile inventory by utilizing TargetSpot’s cutting edge online advertising platform. Mobile ad inventory will be available to agencies and large advertisers through TargetSpot’s full-service account management team. Brands will gain access to a highly captive audience of on-the-go consumers, with effective device, geographic and demographic targeting. They will be able to reach smartphone users while they are listening to music or personal radio stations on their mobile device.
Recent reports by eMarketer and Gartner predict that by 2013 spending on mobile advertising will reach $1.56 billion, with ad-sponsored mobile apps generating almost 25% of revenue for mobile application stores. The same Gartner report forecasts that consumers will spend $6.2 billion this year on mobile apps, downloading 4.5 billion times from app stores. Mobile radio listeners are a valuable growing audience that most advertisers want to reach. U.S. subscribers owning smartphones grew from 11% to 17% of total U.S. cell phone users in 2009.
