DoubleClick (Nasdaq: DCLK), the leading global Internet advertising solutions company and Vindigo, developer of the leading personal navigation platform for handheld devices, today announced that the two companies will begin market trials to test mobile advertising on Vindigo's platform. These market trials, which are slated to begin in the first quarter of 2001, build on DoubleClick's initiative to develop a mobile advertising model compelling to advertisers, users and content providers.
As part of this mobile advertising initiative, DoubleClick also announced today that it is working with OmniSky, a leading provider of branded wireless Internet and email services for users of handheld devices, to test wireless advertising on the OmniSky wireless service.
Market trials will be conducted in major metropolitan areas including: New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston. These markets will provide DoubleClick and Vindigo with the ability to develop and test innovative and compelling mobile advertising solutions that are relevant, valuable and protect the privacy of users. As part of the advertising initiative, Vindigo will leverage DoubleClick's world-class sales force for mobile ad sales representation. Vindigo and DoubleClick plan to begin the mobile advertising trial on Vindigo in the first quarter of 2001 and expect results from these trials to be available in mid 2001.
"We are excited to be working with two of the clear leaders in the consumer mobile services market, Vindigo and OmniSky, to develop effective mobile advertising solutions," said Jamie Byrne, Strategic Director for Emerging Platforms, DoubleClick. "These market trials will be an important step for the mobile ad industry by producing an empirical understanding of the mobile advertising model and consumer acceptance of mobile advertising."
Consumers in metropolitan cities nationwide currently use Vindigo to get the timely, local content they need to make fast, informed decisions about where to Eat, Shop and Play. Vindigo combines the ease and convenience of mobile devices with original content, in-depth information and expert reviews. It instantly adapts to a user's location and interests to serve as a lifestyle resource for on-the-fly activities and decisions.
"A service built on Vindigo's platform provides marketers with a powerful way to target consumers at time of purchase," said Jason Devitt, CEO of Vindigo. "Every time consumers use a service built on Vindigo's platform they are planning a purchase, and they tell us where they are and what they are looking for. That's the perfect time for marketers to reach them anonymously with a message."
According to IDC, the worldwide handheld market is projected to grow from 7.1 million devices shipped by year-end to 19.1 million devices shipped by the end of 2004, a growth of 28 percent. An increasingly mobile workforce is driving this growth for handheld devices. People need to stay in contact with the office, and the PDA is lightweight, powerful and economical. With an estimated 30 percent of the U.S. workforce (or 35.7 million people) out of the office traveling today, and forecasts for 37 percent of the total workforce (or 47.1 million workers) out by 2003, this is clearly a large market opportunity.
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