Madvertise, the European mobile ad network backed by the likes of Earlybird and Blumberg Capital, is adding a raft of new options for advertisers using its platform, including the introduction of AdWords-esque Real-Time Bidding, along with more sophisticated targeting.
Dubbed ‘madPlus’ (those crazy Germans!), the new ad technology suite sees madvertise able to offer its clients new targeting capabilities that go beyond its existing geo-targeting and other criteria, such as content topics, defined handset models, operating systems, time, geographic location, and frequency capping. New to the table is the ability to select and target predefined audiences (e.g. “shopping mums” or “globetrotters”), resulting in a greater ROI, since it reduces ad wastage, says the company.
At the heart of madPlus, however, is the new mobile Real-Time Bidding (RTB) offering. Similar to the way Google AdWords works, madvertise’s RTB technology enables mobile advertising space to be auctioned in real-time, “leading to better purchasing conditions for media agencies and their clients”, claims the company. That, of course, depends on if the auctioneering process doesn’t push up the cost of the ad, which in turn may depend on target audience and other criteria relating to the campaign itself.
madPlus also sees the introduction of madPlus Trading, a new tool providing media agencies with direct access to the madPlus technology so that they can “independently plan their campaigns, reach and budget”.
In terms of scale and reach, madvertise claims six billion monthly page impressions. That looks like it’s up from two billion as recently as April — a likely benefactor of its recent purchase of the Turkish mobile ad network Mobilike as the company expands towards the Middle East.
Madvertise was founded in 2008 and is funded by Earlybird, Blumberg Capital, Team Europe, Point Nine Capital and Felicis Ventures. The company currently has over 90 employees with offices in Berlin, Hamburg, London, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Istanbul.