4Info introduces AdHaven mobile SMS ad server

By Giselle Tsirulnik

February 11, 2009

Zaw Thet is cofounder and CEO of 4Info

4Info has released its AdHaven Server, which lets carriers, publishers and SMS aggregators from anywhere in the world to use their current SMS publishing infrastructure and begin generating advertising through integration with the server.

Through AdHaven, partners can tap into 4Info's advertising serving services, such as ad sales and operations, campaign management, optimization and billing. AdHaven integration is available to any SMS publisher and works over any SMS short code.

"We have extended our ad platform's ad serving capabilities so that anyone can use it," said Zaw Thet, CEO of 4Info, San Mateo, CA. "Because of AdHaven's flexibility and ad targeting and insertion no mobile content is off limits or out of scope -- and all SMS publishers are capable of turning a cost center into a revenue stream."

Previously a publisher or aggregator would have had to run its content over the 4Info short code or conversely 4Info would have had to add a short code to its infrastructure.

Verisign is AdHaven's inaugural partner. VeriSign's messaging and mobile media division will be first to offer AdHaven server integration to its publishers.

VeriSign provides SMS connectivity to more than 3 billion wireless subscribers and its customers including many leading corporate brands.

Participating publishers can either sell their own ad inventory or participate in the 4Info SMS Advertising Network.

Current publishers on the 4Info network such as NBC, USA TODAY, and IAC have already ran advertising campaigns for advertisers such as JC Penney, Philips-Norelco, Toyota, Ford, GM, Amtrak, Coors, McDonalds, and Marriott Hotels.

"AdHaven extends the power and reach of the 4Info advertising network to publishers who already have SMS connectivity, as well as to international publishers," said Mr. Thet. "What's also interesting is that we will enable publishers to track users between the SMS link and the WAP sites.

In other words advertisers don't know too much about a user who goes to USA Today via their phone's browser," he said. "But if this person goes to the site from a braking news alert text that links to the site, brands are able to serve appropriate ads because they know more about this user."