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T-Mobile taps AOL's Platform-A for billion-impression ad campaign

T-Mobile USA tapped AOL's Platform-A for a billion-impression Web advertising campaign during a two-day period, Nov. 10 and 11.

Platform-A claims that it can reach more than 90 percent of U.S. online consumers, and that T-Mobile's advertising buy is the first of its kind. Platform-A includes AOL's owned-and-operated sites -- AOL.com, AIM and MapQuest -- along with the thousands of sites in the Advertising.com third-party network.

"T-Mobile was motivated to pursue this first-of-its-kind advertising vehicle by the groundbreaking experience of the T-Mobile G1," said Brett Dennis,director of branded entertainment and media management at T-Mobile USA.

"The already successful launch of the T-Mobile G1 is driving us to new and innovative ways to reach the broadest range of U.S. consumers possible," he said.

Platform-A and T-Mobile collaborated to create the "T-Mobile Billion Block" to spotlight the T-Mobile G1 with Google, the first Android-powered mobile phone.

"Our partners at Google and HTC, our partners for the T-Mobile G1, are not directly involved in this media buy," Mr. Dennis said.

The T-Mobile G1 with Google is produced by Taiwanese manufacturer HTC.

Over a two-day period, the T-Mobile G1 will dominate a significant amount of AOL and other Platform-A inventory.

It is estimated that approximately 81.5 million consumers will be exposed to the new phone over the campaign's 48-hour run.

Advertising for the Billion Block will appear on the top 100 U.S. sites, as measured by unique visitors.

The partners claim that it is the most-expansive two-day ad buy in Platform-A history.

The message of the ad campaign is simple: "The T-Mobile G1 offers a rich, accessible mobile Web experience for the masses."

"The advertising will feature the benefits of the T-Mobile G1," Mr. Dennis said.

Late last year, Platform-A was established by merging AOL's advertising business, Advertising.com, TACODA and Quigo, to provide marketers with a means to leverage display, video, mobile, contextual, affiliate and search marketing services.

To date, Platform-A has fully integrated its sales forces and developed one insertion order and other processes to streamline ad buying.

In addition, Platform-A has accelerated its product development efforts with recent launches including Spot Marketplace, letting advertisers bid on non-reserved inventory across AOL's Web sites; PubAccess, a self-service interface enabling Web sites to place their inventory for sale in Platform-A's third party display network; audience targeting across Platform-A; and the creation of a 300x600 ad unit across AOL's homepages and co-branded sites.

Platform-A also includes Third Screen Media, a mobile ad-serving network, and buy.at, an affiliate marketing service.

Platform-A and currently has operations in the U.S., Japan (through a joint venture with Mitsui) and nine countries across Europe, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Britain.

Based in Bellevue, WA, T-Mobile USA Inc. is the U.S. operation of Deutsche Telekom AG's mobile communications business, and a wholly owned subsidiary of T-Mobile International.

By the end of the third quarter of 2008, 127 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group -- more than 32 million by T-Mobile USA -- all via a common technology platform based on GSM.

T-Mobile is the third largest carrier in the U.S.