Mobile Groove

The MAD (Mobile ADvertising) Movers series profiles the mobile advertising companies high on my radar. It began last month with inMobi and continues today with a look at AdXplore, a local-focused, mobile ad network that has cracked the code for showing people local ads they are likely to appreciate.

Rather than choosing a me-too model that serves up ads based on bid-for-placement, AdXplore — a privately-held company headquartered in Santa Cruz, California — has burst on the scene in August with a pull model that allows people to request and receive the advertising they want when they want it.

A week after Google VP of Engineering Andy Rubin said that mobile doesn’t need another operating system , Microsoft responded with what analysts believe can be a long-term game-changer.

The Windows Phone 7 launch in New York shocked many in two ways. First, those who had not seen a demo marveled at the social networking innovations – for instance, through the contact list, users can reach friends and others on Facebook, post quickly on YouTube and Twitter, and more. Second, the reviews from the pundits were downright Apple-esque – in dozens of reviews, the commentary was uniformly glowing.

The special podcast series promoting excellent upcoming industry events continues with an exclusive interview with Dan Gilmartin, VP of marketing at WHERE. The Boston-based location services company has been profitable for the last 12 months thanks to its two-pronged approach to monetizing location: a downloadable app and a hyperlocal location-focused ad network. Think of Google with a sharp focus on local merchants and businesses…

Dan — who will be speaking tomorrow at the Location Business Summit USA in San Jose, organized by the wherebusiness .com – gives us the scoop on some company stats, including the number of hyperlocal ads it has served, the number of publishers on board and the overall reach of the WHERE network.

In-brief: An in-depth look at the pivotal role of personalization and some excerpts from a recent briefing with Sidebar, a company that combines conversation (via text), personalization (via algorithms and recommendations) and exposes the results to us (via smart menus) to help operators, content owners and media companies get the right stuff (apps, content, marketing) in front of the right people.

Personalization – being able to present individuals with mobile content, services, apps and experiences that are in tune with their profiles and preferences – is shaping up to be the factor that separates a successful sales/marketing pitch from a FAIL.

In brief: From appointment reminders to mobile shopping suggestions to effective mobile marketing, permission-based messaging ensures a quality conversation with people who want to participate.

We may like to think that smartphones and super-smart devices change all the rules, but companies across all verticals are just beginning to grasp (and harness) the incredible power of text messaging to reach people everywhere.

In brief: The Meffy awards, the 10th annual MEM Conference (the Mobile Entertainment Market), and the release of a new must-read Smart Enablers Guide outlining how everyone can/must work together to deliver a good consumer experience and streamline payment. The last weeks have seen a flurry of activity and announcements around the Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) – the global trade body for the mobile media and entertainment industry. I discuss the key takeaways and progress made with Rimma Perelmuter, MEF Executive Director.

A raft of announcements and events from the Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) signals a new level of excitement and activity in the global mobile media industry. From the advance of smartphones and app stores to the widespread recognition that service enablers (offered by mobile operators and handset makers) are essential to the health and wealth of the entire business ecosystem, the industry is in a new phase of development and mindset. As Rimma Perelmuter, MEF Executive Director, puts it: “There’s a real sense in this $36 billion global industry that we are at a new stage of innovation. We’re seeing consumers around the world using their mobile phones as their key point of access to content and media, and the industry is evolving to make that user experience one that is more engaging and more holistic.”