BuzzCity targets the 'unwired' masses
BuzzCity CEO KF Lai says the company's multi-faceted approach to the mobile internet has enabled to to successfully monetise what it calls the 'unwired' masses in emerging markets.
Its offering comprises various first party and aggregated content destinations (including social networking and games), an accompanying mobile ad network and a slew of publishing partners.
Speaking at the Monetising Mobile conference today, Lai said this has enabled BuzzCity to mine a huge amount of user data from across emerging markets. For example, 9 out of 10 mobile web surfers download and play games, while the same amount have purchased products or services using their phone.
Interestingly, the majority of mobile web users in surveyed are not on the move - 70 per cent are at home when they going online using their mobile.
In terms of ad campaigns running over the BuzzCity network, Lai said a sucessful strategy has been to offer free branded apps, something it has facilitated for Puma.
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It has also worked with the Samitivej hospital in Bangkok on a mobile doctor service that enables patients to make appointments. Expectant mothers are also offered a free educational and personalisable app.
Lai says one of the main sources of mobile ad revenue in BuzzCity's emerging markets comes from VAS providers migrating TV spend to the mobile web.
