JiWire Unleashes Mobile Ads for Access

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - Jun 5, 2012) - Today at the Street Fight Summit West, JiWire, the leading location-based mobile advertising company, announced Mobile Ads for Access, a unique advertising solution that enables brands to offer mobile audiences free Wi-Fi access in exchange for engaging with their advertisement. The mobile sponsorship format creates a highly engaging value exchange with the consumer and is optimized for smartphones and tablets. Launch partners have already seen tremendous success, garnering a 38 percent engagement rate and a 67 percent video completion rate. Companies such as British Airways, Comcast and Hyatt have signed on as launch partners for the new program.

Mobile Ads for Access allows advertisers to leverage the rapidly evolving way consumers connect to the Internet. In Q1 2012, 45 percent of all Wi-Fi connections were driven by smartphones and tablets across the JiWire network, which has doubled over the last 12 months. Mobile Ads for Access complements the existing Ads for Access solution designed for laptops. Now brands can create a value exchange offering on any device in premium venues.

Mobile Ads for Access provides a deeper level of interaction on mobile devices and tablets than traditional banners. A mobile consumer connects to Wi-Fi via their browser on a smartphone or tablet, where they are presented with the brand's Mobile Ads for Access sponsorship. When the consumer completes the brand's engagement, such as watching a 15 second or 30 second mobile video, they are then connected to Wi-Fi. In addition, consumers can share the campaign or video with their friends via social media integration, and can even write about their positive brand experience on Facebook and Twitter.

"As mobile advertising matures, solutions need to go beyond the standard banner to drive engagement. By offering mobile consumers a value exchange, brands can make mobile advertising useful, creating a win-win for both consumer and brand," said David Staas, interim CEO and President at JiWire. "We created Mobile Ads for Access with that in mind, and by tying in social media, brands can maximize their exposure with a solution that combines social, mobile, and location into one experience."

Similar to the Ads for Access program in which top brands like Volkswagen were able to run successful and customized ad campaigns to laptop users, the program on mobile can also be fully customized to meet each brands' unique marketing objectives. The specific call to action in order to receive free access can take any form -- watch a video, download a whitepaper, play a brand-integrated game, or sign-up for a new service -- providing both branding and direct response opportunities.

About JiWire
JiWire is a leading location-based mobile advertising company that reaches the on-the-go audience. The network enables advertisers to reach 50 million unique users each month and deliver ads in and around a person's physical location. JiWire's network targets audiences on mobile phones, tablets and laptops through its public Wi-Fi channel and in-app ads. The app network includes some of the leading location-based apps. JiWire's long-established Wi-Fi network includes more than 30,000 locations that allow Wi-Fi operators to monetize their networks through ad revenue. The JiWire ad network delivers locally-relevant ad campaigns for Fortune 250 companies who want to 'locationize' their brands at significant scale across North America. For more information, please visit www.JiWire.com or call (415) 877-4711.

About Street Fight
Street Fight is a media, events, and research company focused on the business of hyperlocal content, commerce and technology. The Street Fight website publishes news, commentary, case studies, and how-to articles to help the hyperlocal ecosystem achieve sustainable business models. Street Fight Insights conducts research and analysis on industry trends within hyperlocal marketing. And Street Fight Events operates proprietary and custom events for all aspects of hyperlocal business. The Street Fight Summit flagship event is held in New York City every fall.