Mobile Posse Launches Idle Screen Advertising

I have recently spent a lot of time with this company (in conjunction with Softbank leading an investment). Mp2_3   It’s really an amazing company with promising technology and a talented team.    Mp1_2

While there are many companies offering mobile advertising, almost all of them are inserting advertising in WAP sites or providing ads via SMS.  A few companies are attempting to insert ads in mobile video or other applications like games, but Mobile Posse has the lead in terms of offering mobile advertising on the idle screen.

What is idle screen advertising? The best way I can describe it is to think of PointCast, that company from back in the mid-1990’s that put content and ads in a computer screen saver…but for mobile.  Basically when the phone is not in use, the Mobile Posse application launches a little notice that disappears if you start using the phone or after a few seconds.  If, on the other hand, you click to view more information, you get more details.  I’ve included a screen shot where you’ll see a notice and details on weather.  And that’s part of the beauty of Mobile Posse’s application is that they combine content like weather, news, sports scores, horoscope, etc. along with promotions.

Idle screen advertising makes a lot of sense because most phones in the US have small screens and no standard keyboard making WAP surfing cumbersome.  Same goes for video, games and other applications.  By putting an application on the idle screen it is more accessible.  Of course, the key is to get the right blend of content and relevant promotions that users value.