4INFO

Last updated
4INFO Inc.
Company type Subsidiary
Industry Targeted advertising
Big data
FoundedSeptember 8, 2004 (2004-09-08) in Palo Alto, California, United States
FounderPankaj Shah, Zaw Thet
Headquarters San Jose, California
Area served
United States, Latin America and Mexico
Key people
Tim Jenkins (CEO)
RevenueIncrease2.svg US$28,000,000 (2014)
Number of employees
45
Parent Nielsen Holdings
Website 4info.com
Footnotes /references
[1] [2] [3] [4]

4Info is an American targeted advertising corporation. [5] The company is currently owned by Nielsen Holdings.

Contents

History

4Info was founded in 2004 by Pankaj Shah [6] and Zaw Thet. [2] It originally focused on text-based SMS advertising, SMS publishing and mobile search. [7] [8]

In 2008, the company was estimated to be the largest provider of business-to-consumer SMS content in North America by Nielsen Holdings, [9] claiming to send 80 million text messages a month in early 2009 [10] and 200 million text messages a month in early 2010. [11] Nielsen rated 4Info the fourth largest SMS U.S. Network. [12] In 2010, the company was the largest provider of free text message alerts and information in the United States., [13] [14] and the largest American SMS Network. [1] [15] [16]

The company began providing mobile display advertising in 2010, based on connecting American households to IP addresses. [17] In 2010, 4Info acquired Butter, a company which created ad campaigns for the iPhone and Android platform. [18]

The company is headquartered in San Jose, California with other offices in the United States. As of 2015, it employed 45 people. [19] In 2015, the company was included on the Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies. [19] In May 2015, MBlox, an independent SMS provider, acquired 4Info's SMS business line. [20]

In March 2016, 4Info and Crossix formed a strategic alliance for targeted advertising of pharmaceutical products in the United States. [21]

Software and services

The company purchases anonymous data from internet service providers, mobile network operators, and other information aggregate sources, then uses marketing mix modeling to send targeted advertisements from their clients. [22] [23] The company then cross references with CPG data to look at actual purchases made by those who viewed ads. [24] [25] [26]

In 2014, the company added multiscreen functionality that identifies PC and laptop activity, enabling cross-device targeted advertising, retargeting and multichannel retailing. [27] [23] The company also offered geotargeting and geofencing. [28] In August 2014, the company was awarded a patent for "Systems and methods for statistically associating mobile devices to households" [29] claiming they can link 95% of mobile users to their IP address and other devices. [24]

The company has provided advertising data to companies such as AOL, Acxiom, [30] Catalist, Datalogix, [31] and Experian. [32]

Related Research Articles

Digital display advertising is online graphic advertising through banners, text, images, video, and audio. The main purpose of digital display advertising is to post company ads on third-party websites. A display ad is usually interactive, which allows brands and advertisers to engage deeper with the users. A display ad can also be a companion ad for a non-clickable video ad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Direct marketing</span> Model of communicating discounts and other sales offers

Direct marketing is a form of communicating an offer, where organizations communicate directly to a pre-selected customer and supply a method for a direct response. Among practitioners, it is also known as direct response marketing. In contrast to direct marketing, advertising is more of a mass-message nature.

LiveRamp Holdings, Inc., is a San Francisco, California-based SaaS company that offers a data connectivity platform whose services include data onboarding, the transfer of offline data online for marketing purposes.

An online advertising network or ad network is a company that connects advertisers to websites that want to host advertisements. The key function of an ad network is an aggregation of ad supply from publishers and matching it with the advertiser's demand. The phrase "ad network" by itself is media-neutral in the sense that there can be a "Television Ad Network" or a "Print Ad Network", but is increasingly used to mean "online ad network" as the effect of aggregation of publisher ad space and sale to advertisers is most commonly seen in the online space. The fundamental difference between traditional media ad networks and online ad networks is that online ad networks use a central ad server to deliver advertisements to consumers, which enables targeting, tracking and reporting of impressions in ways not possible with analog media alternatives.

Online advertising, also known as online marketing, Internet advertising, digital advertising or web advertising, is a form of marketing and advertising that uses the Internet to promote products and services to audiences and platform users. Online advertising includes email marketing, search engine marketing (SEM), social media marketing, many types of display advertising, and mobile advertising. Advertisements are increasingly being delivered via automated software systems operating across multiple websites, media services and platforms, known as programmatic advertising.

Contextual advertising is a form of targeted advertising for advertisements appearing on websites or other digital platforms, such as content displayed in mobile browsers. Contextual targeting involves the use of linguistic factors to control the placement of advertising material. The advertisements are selected and delivered by automated systems, taking into consideration the context of a user's search or browsing behaviour. As advertisers and marketers increasingly prioritise brand safety and suitability, contextual advertising has emerged as a crucial aspect in safeguarding the reputation and value of a brand.

Mobile marketing is a multi-channel online marketing technique focused at reaching a specific audience on their smartphones, feature phones, tablets, or any other related devices through websites, e-mail, SMS and MMS, social media, or mobile applications. Mobile marketing can provide customers with time and location sensitive, personalized information that promotes goods, services, appointment reminders and ideas. In a more theoretical manner, academic Andreas Kaplan defines mobile marketing as "any marketing activity conducted through a ubiquitous network to which consumers are constantly connected using a personal mobile device".

Mobile advertising is a form of advertising via mobile (wireless) phones or other mobile devices. It is a subset of mobile marketing, mobile advertising can take place as text ads via SMS, or banner advertisements that appear embedded in a mobile web site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital marketing</span> Marketing of products or services using digital technologies or digital tools

Digital marketing is the component of marketing that uses the Internet and online-based digital technologies such as desktop computers, mobile phones, and other digital media and platforms to promote products and services. Its development during the 1990s and 2000s changed the way brands and businesses use technology for marketing. As digital platforms became increasingly incorporated into marketing plans and everyday life, and as people increasingly used digital devices instead of visiting physical shops, digital marketing campaigns have become prevalent, employing combinations of search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), content marketing, influencer marketing, content automation, campaign marketing, data-driven marketing, e-commerce marketing, social media marketing, social media optimization, e-mail direct marketing, display advertising, e-books, and optical disks and games have become commonplace. Digital marketing extends to non-Internet channels that provide digital media, such as television, mobile phones, callbacks, and on-hold mobile ringtones. The extension to non-Internet channels differentiates digital marketing from online marketing.

Location-based advertising (LBA) is a form of advertising that integrates mobile advertising with location-based services. The technology is used to pinpoint consumers location and provide location-specific advertisements on their mobile devices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Targeted advertising</span> Form of advertising

Targeted advertising is a form of advertising, including online advertising, that is directed towards an audience with certain traits, based on the product or person the advertiser is promoting.

Behavioral retargeting is a form of online targeted advertising by which online advertising is targeted to consumers based on their previous internet behaviour. Retargeting tags online users by including a pixel within the target webpage or email, which sets a cookie in the user's browser. Once the cookie is set, the advertiser is able to show ads to that user elsewhere on the internet via an ad exchange.

MoVoxx is a mobile advertising company that creates interactive ads, that are under opt-in SMS content. MoVoxx provides marketers with access to a mobile audience by partnering with SMS content publishers who send out mass text messages to consumers. MoVoxx uses its ad placement to engage in demographic, contextual, and device targeting. The interactive advertisements include SMS Reply, Click to WAP, Click to Video, Click to Buy, and Click to X.

Criteo is an advertising company that provides online display advertisements. The company was founded and is headquartered in Paris, France.

Site retargeting is a display advertising technique used by marketers to display advertising to people who have previously visited their website. The marketer includes a pixel within their webpage which sets a cookie in the user's browser. That cookie allows the marketer to target the website visitor with advertising elsewhere on the internet using retargeting.

Chango, Inc. was a Canadian-based online marketing company with a focus on search retargeting and programmatic marketing. The company was founded in 2008, acquired by Rubicon Project in 2015 for $122 million, and closed down in 2017.

Tapad Inc. is a venture-funded startup company based in New York City that develops and markets software and services for cross-device advertising and content delivery. It uses algorithms to analyze internet and device data and predict whether two or more devices are owned by the same person. Participating websites and apps then cater their advertisements based on a collective knowledge of the user's actions across all of their devices.

AdTruth is a software product and the digital media division of 41st Parameter, a company headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona with regional offices in San Jose, California; London, England; and Munich, Germany. AdTruth allows marketers to recognize and reach target audiences across online devices.

Oracle BlueKai Data Management Platform, formerly known as BlueKai, is a cloud-based data management platform which is a part of Oracle Marketing that enables the personalization of online, offline, and mobile marketing campaigns. BlueKai was created in 2008 by Omar Tawakol, Alexander Hooshmand, and Grant Ries, as a marketing tech start-up based in Cupertino, California. It was acquired by Oracle on February 24, 2014, for approximately $400 million, and was renamed Oracle BlueKai Data Management Platform (DMP).

Acxiom is a Conway, Arkansas-based database marketing company. The company collects, analyzes and sells customer and business information used for targeted advertising campaigns. The company was formed in 2018 when Acxiom Corporation spun off its Acxiom Marketing Services (AMS) division to global advertising network Interpublic Group of Companies.

References

  1. 1 2 "4Info and WAU Movil Partner to Offer Mobile Marketing Solutions to Latin America". Close-Up Media. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
  2. 1 2 Cook, Dena. "Zaw Thet Steps Down As 4INFO CEO". MediaPost. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  3. ↑ Rowley, Liz (18 August 2015). "Inc. Mag's Revenue Survey: Ad Tech And Marketing Firms Make The Cut". Ad Exchanger. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Acxiom Expands to Mexico Enabling Better Engagement and Reach". Martech Advisor. Retrieved July 24, 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  5. ↑ Sass, Erik. "4Info Bows New Mobile Targeting For Direct Mail, Online". Online Media Daily. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Pankaj Shah founded 4INFO secures $8 M funds". SiliconIndia. Retrieved March 22, 2005.
  7. ↑ Ray, Ramon (30 September 2007). "Time to 'Mobilize' Your Site?". Entrepreneur. Retrieved September 30, 2007.
  8. ↑ Ewan (16 October 2007). "4INFO's stonkingly good deal with USA Today". Mobile Industry Review. Retrieved October 16, 2007.
  9. ↑ Khan, Mickey Alam. "GE, VCs invest $20M in SMS ad firm 4Info". Mobile Marketer. Retrieved January 22, 2009.
  10. ↑ Steel, Emily (22 January 2009). "4INFO Gets $20 Million". Digits. WSJ. Retrieved January 22, 2009.
  11. ↑ Arrington, Michael. "4INFO Adds New Execs To Fuel 100% Growth/Quarter". TechCrunch. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
  12. ↑ Stewart, Jon. "Global Mobile - Strategies for Growth". Nielsen. Retrieved October 6, 2009.
  13. ↑ Moon, Bernard (26 July 2010). "Lunsford Group Wireless Industry Snapshot 2010 Page 38". SparkLabs Global Ventures. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
  14. ↑ "SMS and Viral Video Presentations for Non-Profits". Single Tree Media. 8 August 2011. Retrieved Jan 1, 2015.
  15. ↑ Stutz, Randy. "Analysis of the FTC's Decision Not to Block Google's Acquisition of AdMob Page 9" (PDF). The American Antitrust Institute. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 20, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
  16. ↑ "DMN University Digital Solutions Training Online Tutorial Page 31" (PDF). DMN University. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  17. ↑ Krzykowski, Matthaus (19 January 2011). "4info says its mobile ad business is exploding". Venture Beat. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  18. ↑ Rusli, Evelyn. "4INFO CEO: Expect More Acquisitions, Revenues Will Quintuple [Video]". TechCrunch. Retrieved June 22, 2010.
  19. 1 2 "Inc. 5000 2015: 4INFO". Inc. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  20. ↑ Murphy, David. "Mblox Buys 4INFO's SMS Business". Mobile Marketing. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Data Partners to Tie Mobile Ads to Drug Refills, Doc Visits". Adage. March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  22. ↑ Goldman, Sharon. "Shopper Marketing: Filling the Cart with Big Data". The Mars Agency. Archived from the original on June 10, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  23. 1 2 Minsker, Maria. "4INFO Launches AdHaven Bullseye MultiScreen (Video Interview)". CRM Magazine. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  24. 1 2 Wasserman, Todd. "Why cross-device tracking is the latest obsession for marketers". Campaign. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  25. ↑ Smith, Steve. "Yes Virginia, Mobile Banner Ads Really Can Drive Bricks and Mortar Sales". MediaPost. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  26. ↑ Kaplan, David (11 May 2015). "For 4Info, 'Measuring What Matters' Means Sales Lift, Not Just In-Store Traffic". GeoMarketing. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  27. ↑ Madsen, Greg. "Ka-Ching! 4INFO Links Mobile Ads to Cash Register Success". Mobile Advertising Watch. Archived from the original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  28. ↑ "For CPG, Mobile Promotions Push Targets to Store". eMarketer. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  29. ↑ Sterling, Greg. "4INFO Gains Patent For Matching Smartphones to Household Location". Screenwerk. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  30. ↑ Smith, Steve. "Acxiom Partners With 4Info For Mobile Retargeting And Attribution At Household Level". MediaPost. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  31. ↑ Constine, Josh (25 April 2013). "Datalogix Raises $25M to Pump Juicy Offline Purchase Data into Google and Facebook" . Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  32. ↑ Schiff, Allison. "Experian 'Turns Up The Volume' On Its Cross-Channel Capabilities With New Partners". Ad Exchanger. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
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