Promotion, Mobile, Advertising, Global : A group of leading software players has recognised the need for greater monetisation of mobile network resources, supported by highly flexible advertising campaigns . The Mobile Advertising Alliance has chosen the Mobile World Congress 2008 in Barcelona to publicise its launch.

A new consortium of companies has been announced, just prior to this year's Mobile World Congress (11-14 February). The grouping promises to revolutionise the mobile phone network as an advertising and direct marketing opportunity. The Mobile Advertising Alliance is a collaborative venture between software vendors Anam, Cibenix, Mobile Cohesion, Openet and SLA Mobile. Each member firm provides a best-of-breed component of a mobile advertising platform. The Alliance has defined a platform that allows mobile operators to secure their position in the mobile advertising market and advertisers to reach a wide market with uniquely targeted campaigns. It also allows systems integrators to achieve rapid integration of proven software solutions with existing telecommunications infrastructure.

According to Nic Stirk of Alliance member SLA Mobile: "Our advertising solution is an easy-to-use platform that delivers both mobile advertising and direct marketing - something that has been very difficult to achieve in the past. The platform provides secure access to operator-owned demographic, behavioural and contextual profiling data and provides multiple media channels to deliver personalised and targeted campaigns. In the mobile medium personalization ensures that advertising is seen as appropriate and relevant for the mobile user - thereby overcoming the shortcomings of other approaches. Context is key." Gerry McKenna of Alliance member Anam agrees that the inherent flexibility of the platform is important for success: "Flexible campaign management and real-time feedback reporting ensure that advertisers can continually refine campaigns and only pay for results. From an advertiser point of view they get the analytics, reach and purity of audience that is so essential in one-to-one marketing. We are confident that our combined skills and integrated platform will, for the first time, make mobile viable as an advertising medium."

• More info: www.mobileadvertisingalliance.com