Flirtomatic passes half a million registrations and calls for more transparency in mobile web usage

As cross-platform social network Flirtomatic passes 500,000 registrations – with a quarter of these on mobile - its CEO, Mark Curtis, warns that the mobile advertising market is stifling potential growth as a result of lack of transparency over usage rates.

[UKPRwire, Thu Nov 01 2007] As cross-platform social network Flirtomatic passes 500,000 registrations – with a quarter of these on mobile - its CEO, Mark Curtis, warns that the mobile advertising market is stifling potential growth as a result of lack of transparency over usage rates.

While recent media coverage has hyped the potential for advertising on the mobile internet, there is little standard usage data available with which brands can make informed decisions.

“Almost no mobile content owners are currently divulging their usage rates,” says Mark Curtis. “This makes it very difficult for content owners themselves to benchmark their usage rates, let alone brands deciding where best to advertise.”

“We’re currently seeing an acceleration in mobile registration against that on PC. What’s more, Flirtomatic received 110 million WAP impressions in October ‘07. This compares very favourably to the web, however, it is currently nigh on impossible to compare these figures with any other mobile content owners.”

The Mobile Data Association currently releases monthly figures on the overall number of people using WAP but there is no consistent measurement of specific usage rates. Many mobile content owners are unwilling to release statistics.

“We are, of course, very excited to have generated such high engagement with Flirtomatic – both measured by half a million registrations and the very high mobile page view levels. For us and other companies trying to build the case for mobile advertising it’s now crucial to buttress early success with industry benchmarking. The mobile web has still further to go to reach the required level,” adds Mark Curtis. “Mobile content owners must begin to become more transparent with regard to usage rates, in order to engage the advertisers and major brands now actively showing interest in the mobile web.“

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For more information please contact Simon Judges at immediate future on 0845 408 2031 / 07949 138017 or at simon.judges@immediatefuture.co.uk

Notes to Editor

About Flirtomatic …
Launched in 2006, Flirtomatic has quickly developed flirting as a new entertainment category. Operating an uninterrupted service across the web and mobile, Flirtomatic enables users to flirt, meet new people and have fun online.

The addictive nature of the service generates phenomenally high levels of interaction. August 2007 saw Flirtomatic reach more than 100 million WAP page impressions, whilst September 2007 surpassed 110 million WAP page impressions, highlighting the high levels of interaction generated by the addictive nature of the service. Flirtomatic offers brands a range of marketing opportunities to tap into this intimacy with their customer base.

About Handmade Mobile Entertainment …

The company was formed in June 2004 by Avi Azulai, co-founder of iTouch, and Mark Curtis, a former Managing Partner in Fjord and Razorfish.

In June 2007 Handmade Mobile Entertainment, Flirtomatic’s holding company, raised funds from Doughty Hanson Technology Ventures, Seraphim Capital and founders.

www.flirtomatic.com
www.handmademobile.com