Mobile VAS company OnMobile launched an audio advertising platform for mobile operators. Called AdRBT (ad ringback tones), the service will play audio ads to callers when they dial a mobile number.
To put it simply, when a caller calls a particular mobile phone, he/she will hear ads while the phone is ringing. In return mobile operator will offer incentives to the mobile user who subscribes to this services.
Offcourse, the mobile operator will require a permission from subscriber to activate the service on his or her mobile phone.
The ads can be targeted based on the location and VAS usage of the caller. The VAS usage data gives information such as what handset the caller is using, whether he uses the roaming service, how often he travels abroad, the types of ringtones he downloads and the services he uses. OnMobile will also play ads in regional languages.
Apart from choosing the profile of the customer, advertisers will also be able to specify the number of times they want their ad to be played in, say, a week or a month, says Tripathy. They can also specify how many times they want their ad to be played to a particular caller in a fixed time period.
AdRBT will also allow for storyboard ads to be played. Therefore, each caller can hear a series of ads based on a story or concept. [source]
If you ask me as a mobile user, this is a strict no-no from my side. I find even the songs playing (instead of ringing) quite intrusive and frustrating, forget about the ads !
A caller is calling on a mobile phone for some work and not to hear to songs, especially not ads !
I doubt how much acceptance this service will get. Only if the mobile operator offers some really compelling incentives, few of them may opt for it.
What do you think? Will you allow audio ads to be played on your mobile phone?
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Author: Arun Prabhudesai
Arun Prabhudesai is founder / chief editor at trak.in. He jumped the Entrepreneurship bandwagon in early 2008 after a long 13 year stint in I.T Industry. You can follow him on twitter @trakin or get in touch with him at admin-at-trak-dot-in or 91.9822575676.Related posts:
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
As long as this is an opt-in, it is a good idea. It will help reduce costs of the mobile operator, and hence the consumer will benefit.
I might opt for this, given that over the years, I have developed an in-built resistance to ads. Who hears them anyway?
Will you allow audio ads to be played on your mobile phone?
Yes, as long as they give me free talk time. iBeginShare.attachButton(’share-tool-73171282513′, {title: ‘Onmobile introduces audio ads on mobile platform: IS it too intrusive?’, link: ‘http://trak.in/tags/business/2008/07/09/onmobile-mobile-ad-platform-adrbt/’, content: ‘http://trak.in/?ibegin_share_action=get_content&id=1283′});
This idea of mobile company is very well. By this idea to introduce your ads in audio on mobile platform. But in Case of consumers is busy then this type of idea is bad for the consumers. this type of ads is adding any where and any time
Ravi Shankar
<a href="http://www.shahexport.in">Ad Post</a>
Its a brilliant idea if proper incentives are given. As a caller, if I can listen to an interesting add inplace of the traditional tring-tring or any dull song and get something in return(say a few seconds extra call with the same cost or 1 min free call), I wouldn’t really mind it.