Microsoft Establishes Foothold in the Mobile Advertising Ecosystem

Microsoft is growing its advertisement business, while concomitantly moving into the mobile space. After it has called out foul play over the Google acquisition of DoubleClick - a potential monopoly in the delivery of online advertising, although reports revealed that Microsoft itself matched Google's $3.1 billion - the Redmond Company has turned to the mobile ecosystem.

Microsoft has established a strong foothold in the mobile advertising industry with the acquisition of ScreenTonic. The Redmond Company revealed that it plans to integrate the European-based mobile advertising pioneer into the Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions, aiming to tap the global audience of mobile users.

"The mobile Internet is an extraordinary vehicle for brands to connect with their target audiences, because devices like cell phones enable interaction to take place virtually anywhere or anytime," said Steve Berkowitz, senior vice president of the Online Services Group at Microsoft. "The acquisition of ScreenTonic will be part of our long-term strategy to deliver ad experiences that map to the environment. Together, we will be able to provide relevant ads where consumers are, when they are actively engaged and communicating."

Users in Belgium, France and the United Kingdom could begin receiving advertisements on their mobile devices courtesy of Microsoft. The Redmond Company stated that it is currently considering a mobile strategy that will deliver equilibrium between publishers, mobile operators and consumers with a range of ad formats, from display to text.

"Mobile advertising is expected to experience tremendous growth over the next five years," said Didier Kuhn, CEO and co-founder of ScreenTonic. "We are very excited to expand our presence in this exciting marketplace with Microsoft. We're confident that the combined strengths, services expertise and talent of our companies will deliver a great experience for advertisers, publishers and mobile operators alike."