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effectively into our existing customer base, who were already using us for mobile payments, and for mobile marketing content and delivery.” Houlihan adds that 4th Screen’s business is around 90% CPM (cost-per-thousand) based, so firmly at the premium end of the market, in comparison to CPC (cost-perclick) networks.
Intelligent solutions He believes the future of mobile advertising lies in offering more intelligent, joined up solutions. For the mobile music recognition service Shazam, for example, 4th Screen Advertising has struck a sponsorship deal with O2. When a consumer uses the Shazam iPhone application, they are served a dynamic ad, served through 4th screen’s proprietary ad serving engine MPression, which tells them if the artist whose song they are trying to identify is playing live at any O2 music venues. If the artist in question is not touring, an ad is served for another artist in the same music genre who is. “This is what premium advertising is all about - deeper and more integrated publisher
A CRM campaign for Rimmel included a mobile Internet site where customers could order free samples and download free content for their phone
deals,” says Houlihan. “It’s where the CPM model beats the blind network model, and it’s what marketing directors believe that mobile advertising should be all about; the ability to link the customer to something relevant. This is what mobile should be able to deliver, and now that it can, we expect to roll out multiple campaigns like this one in multiple territories.” As interest in mobile advertising has grown, so more brands have seen the wisdom in developing mobile Internet sites. To cater for this demand, MIG launched Kilrush in May 2009. Kilrush’s technology enables brands to create and publish their own mobile sites, and then monetise them through mobile advertising, search engine optimisation, and billing services. The company has generated just under £1m to date, and is set to release a mobile application SDK (Software Development Kit) that will enable brands, particularly media brands, to build their own mobile apps. “We are advising clients to cover all bases,” Houlihan tells Mobile Marketing. “It’s great to have a site that renders for an iPhone, or an iPhone app, but you also need a presence on the mobile web to reach out to people using a wider range of mobile phones.” The final piece of the MIG offering is Jigsaw. This is MIG’s digital agency, which, on the back of a very successful 2009, is opening offices in N. America and Canada this year. “Our approach of linking mobile and digital has resonated with big brands such as Walkers, O2, RTE, Nestle, ITV and more,” says Houlihan. “Jigsaw takes a collaborative approach and understands the multifaceted touch points a brand needs to communicate with its consumers, incorporating web design, mobile,
MIG Timeline 2004 May - MIG founded.
2005 June - Wins ITV contract June - Delivers world’s largest charity ticketing solution via SMS for ‘Live8’ 1st year turnover £250,000, 10 staff
2006 Feb - MIG launches 4th Screen Advertising June - Barry Houlihan wins London Region Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award Sep - Launches MIGPay Accredited Payforit solution MIG created a mobile campaign for the Central office of Information as part of a drive to counter knife crime
apps, technical build, e-CRM, analytics and much more. By utilising these skills, Jigsaw has built some of the largest loyalty campaigns, most recently the award winning Walkers - Do us a flavour.”
Collaboration
2007 Feb - ITV launches WAP billing with MIGPay Feb - MIG secures 3-year contract to provide mobile interactive services to The O2 Arena March - MIG wins ‘Innovative Business of the Year’ at Fast Growth Business Awards 3rd year turnover - £29.9m, 26 staff
Looking ahead, Houlihan says that MIG will continue to expand organically, and through local partnerships. He says the company is well ahead of its planned targets to globalise the business and will announce the opening of new operations in N. America, Canada, S. Africa and Asia in the coming months. But he adds that the ethos of integration and collaboration between the group’s individual businesses will remain. “The alignment between the MIG businesses has been a massive factor in our success to date,” he says. “It’s enabled us to create leadership in certain markets such as media, broadcast, and with mobile operators. We will continue to invest heavily in our technology and our people, and we’ll continue to foster a culture where innovation and smart thinking are rewarded.”
February 2010
2nd year turnover - £22m, 16 staff
2008 March - MIG launches crossplatform digital agency Jigsaw Aug - MIG launches experience design agency, New Toy Sep - MIG ranked No.1 in Microsoft Sunday Times Tech Track 100 Oct - O2 appoints MIG to deliver core content alerts platform for its 18.7m customers Dec - MIG opens two new development centres 4th year turnover - £39.1m, 70 staff
2009 March - MIG’s MIDAS platform delivers 4.75m interactions, raising £7.8m for Comic Relief May - MIG launches Mobile Interactive Technology and Kilrush July - 4th Screen Advertising launches new Smartphone Ad Format - ‘iSlide’ Oct - Shazam selects 4th Screen Advertising for European mobile advertising contract 5th year turnover £68m, 120 staff
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