Mobile developer Moblio.nl has brought the spectacle of the World Cup to handsets with the release of its new ad-supported application, Vuvuzela 2010.

Ad network AdMob helped Moblio monetize Vuvuzela 2010 using its inventory of banner ads. The application has been downloaded more than 3.5 million times and is currently one of the most popular free applications worldwide, AdMob claims.

?The Vuvuzela 2010 application has special significance this year as the world turns its attention to the big tournament in South Africa,? said Matt Brocklehurst, head of marketing for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for AdMob, Mountain View, CA.

?Moblio decided to use AdMob?s self-serve ad platform to integrate advertising into its application, quickly generating revenue worldwide,? he said.

Amsterdam-based Moblio creates iPhone applications and mobile Web sites for an international audience.

Monetizing a World Cup phenomenon
Vuvuzela 2010 is available on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and can be downloaded for free at the Apple App Store.

The application mimics the signature cry of the vuvuzela horns that have blared through World Cup stadiums across South Africa.

Having captured lightning in a bottle with the creation of Vuvuzela 2010, Moblio searched for a quick way to monetize the application. It joined the AdMob publisher network on a self-serve basis and integrated the network?s ad platform into the application.

Banner ads from the AdMob publisher inventory appear in the top-center portion of the screen.

Here is a screen grab of the application with an AdMob ad placed at the top of the page:

Vuvuzela 2010 had been downloaded 3.5 million times as of last Thursday, and ranked as high as No. 1 out of all free applications in the Apple App Store in several countries, including Britain, Germany and Japan, per AdMob.

In the United States, Vuvuzela 2010 ranked as high as No. 3 in its category. It held the seventh spot among free applications ranked in the App Store as of this past Friday.

Thanks to users who have clicked through the ads in the vuvuzela application, Moblio has generated tens of thousands of dollars of income each week, per AdMob.

?The Vuzuzela 2010 application is a fun and engaging way for consumers of all ages and nationalities to engage with the big tournament in South Africa,? Mr. Brocklehurst said. ?With 3.5 million downloads across Europe, including the U.K., Germany, France and as far as South Africa, Argentina, Japan, Australia and the U.S.A. ? it is clear that soccer fans are taking to Vuzuzela 2010.?

How it works
After downloading and launching the application, users access the application?s main screen, which includes a clickable graphic of a vuvuzela horn flanked by a number of differently colored soccer jerseys.

By pressing on the different jerseys, users can change the color of the vuvuzela horn to match those of their favorite team.

And, by pressing on the horn itself, users unleash the blaring bee-hive tone that has captured the attention of soccer fans worldwide.

The application's popularity does not look to decrease in the near future, per AdMob.

?With the final World Cup game set for July 11th, we are looking forward to continued success for Vuvuzela 2010 and Moblio,? Mr. Brocklehurst said.