4INFO

4INFO Inc.
Private
Industry Big Data
Computer Software
Mobile Advertising
Founded Palo Alto, California
United States
September 8, 2004 (2004-09-08)
11 years ago
Founder Pankaj Shah, Zaw Thet
Headquarters Silicon Valley,
San Francisco Bay Area,
San Mateo, California,
United States
Number of locations
 5 (2015)
Area served
 United States
(2004-present)
Latin America
(2010-2011)
Key people
 Tim Jenkins
(CEO)
Ed Koenig
(Chief Financial Officer)
Arash Saffarnia
(SVP Chief Architect)
Michelle Estabrook
(SVP Client Services)
Dave Matthews
(Chief Revenue Officer)
Mari Tangredi
(SVP Strategic Partnerships)
Ken Mallon
(Chief Product Officer)
Chuck Moxley
(Chief Marketing Officer)
Kirsten McMullen
(Chief Privacy Officer)
Products 4INFO ID
4INFO Platform
Multi-screen Capabilities
Brands AdHaven
AdHaven Bullseye
Revenue
  • Increase US$28,000,000 (2014)
  • US$21,000,000 (2013)
Number of employees
 45
Website 4info.com
Footnotes / references
[1][2][3][4][5]

4INFO is an American corporation that provides mobile advertising technology for the placement and tracking of advertisements; including on computers, mobile phones, and end-point systems such as cash registers.[6] The company's products collect data on the extent to which its clients' customers are exposed to their advertisements.[7] Their clients include Campbell’s, Kraft, Macy's, Southwest Airlines, Target and Walmart.[8]

History

The company was founded in 2004 by Pankaj Shah[9] and Zaw Thet.[2] It originally focused on text-based SMS advertising. The company worked in mobile search[10] and in SMS publishing and advertising.[11] In May 2015 MBlox, an independent application-to-person (A2P) SMS provider, acquired 4INFO’s SMS business line.[12]

In 2006 4INFO won an Emerging Technology Award.[13] In 2008 4INFO was estimated to be the largest provider of business-to-consumer SMS content in North America by Nielsen,[14][15][16] claiming to send 80 million text messages a month in early 2009[17] and 200 million text messages a month in early 2010.[18] Nielsen rated 4INFO the fourth largest SMS U.S. Network.[19] In 2010 4INFO was the largest provider of free text message alerts and information in the U.S.,[20][21][22] and the largest SMS U.S. Network.[1][23][24] In 2010 it was rated the second largest Mobile Advertising U.S. Network.[25] 4INFO was named a 2007[26] and a 2014 AO100 Top Private Company winner.[27] 4INFO is ranked 1742 on the 2015 Inc. 5000 as one of America’s fastest-growing private companies.[4] Walz Tetrick Advertising and 4INFO was awarded a 2016 Silver Telly Award for their Business-to-Business video campaign entitled “Elevator Pitch”.[28][29] Walz Tetrick Advertising and 4INFO took home AMBIT gold and “Most Innovative” overall at the 2016 KC Direct Marketing Association (KCDMA) awards show for their direct marketing campaign "Mystery Phone Lead Generation" campaign aimed at media planners and corporate brand managers.[30][31]

The company is headquartered in San Mateo, California with other offices in the U.S.; in total, it employs 45 people.[4] The company moved into mobile display ads in 2011.[32]

Software and services

4INFO claims their database has connected 152 million mobile devices to 101 million U.S. households.[33] April 2014 the company added multiscreen functionality that identifies PC and laptop activity, enabling cross-device targeting, retargeting and multichannel retailing[6] that by July 2014 also includes video ads.[34] They offer geotargeting and geofencing .[35] August 2014 4INFO was awarded a patent for “Systems and methods for statistically associating mobile devices to households“[33] claiming they can link 95% of mobile users to their address and their other devices.[36] 4INFO can directly match with third-party data sources as well as a retailer's own customer data. The company purchases anonymous data from internet service providers, mobile network operators, and other information aggregate sources, then uses Media Mix Modeling[37] to send targeted advertisements from their clients.[6] 4INFO then cross references with CPG data to look at actual purchases made by those who saw the ad.[36][38][39]

Partners 4INFO and Catalina's June 2015 study reveals how mobile advertising is affecting in-store sales.[35] The study looked at 83 mobile campaigns across a variety of CPG categories for 59 different brands; campaign durations ranged from four to 38 weeks, with 12 weeks on average. They claim mobile advertising generates more than double the sales of its desktop counterparts.[40] The Benchmarking was performed using 4INFO partner[41] Nielsen Catalina Solutions.[42]

AOL, Acxiom,[43] App Annie,[44] Catalina Marketing,[45] Catalist, Datalogix,[46] Experian,[47] Millennial Media, Nielsen[41] and others leverage 4INFO's mobile technology. In-store visitation measurement company Placed partnered with online-to-offline sales analyst 4INFO June 2015 enabling both companies to offer clients omnichannel retailing path-to-purchase insights.[48]

In June 2015, 4INFO and DMG Solutions announced a strategic alliance creating solutions for multicultural marketing in the United States and targeting specific audiences.[49]

In March 2016, 4INFO and Crossix formed a strategic alliance for Household-Level Pharmaceutical Marketing Ad Targeting in the United States. 4INFO claims they did a six-month set-up process that doesn't allow personally-identifiable data touch the partners' systems in order to comply with HIPAA. Data broker and services firm Acxiom sits in between Crossix and 4INFO.[50]

Privacy

The company incorporates privacy-by-design and has a chief privacy officer on staff.[51] They say they spend 20% of their time discussing and addressing privacy issues.[51] In 2012 4INFO partnered with TRUSTe to protect consumer privacy when delivering mobile ads.[52] 4INFO is in compliance with standards set by the Digital Advertising Alliance.[51][53]

Acquisitions

2010 4INFO acquired Butter, a company specializing in creating customized mobile solutions and ad campaigns for the iPhone and Android platform.[54]

Financials

In 2014 4INFO received a $6.5 million loan from Avidbank,[55] and has received funding from Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Gannet, Mezzanine Capital, Mitsui Global Investment, U.S. Venture Partners and Vulcan_Inc..

References

  1. 1 2 "4Info and WAU Movil Partner to Offer Mobile Marketing Solutions to Latin America". Close-Up Media. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
  2. 1 2 Cook, Dena. "Zaw Thet Steps Down As 4INFO CEO". MediaPost. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  3. ↑ Kaplan, David. "4INFO's Mallon: Meeting The Challenges Of Cookie-Less Measurement". GeoMarketing. Retrieved August 20, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 "Inc. 5000 2015: 4INFO". Inc. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  5. ↑ Rowley, Liz. "Inc. Mag's Revenue Survey: Ad Tech And Marketing Firms Make The Cut". Ad Exchanger. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 Minsker, Maria. "4INFO Launches AdHaven Bullseye MultiScreen (Video Interview)". CRM Magazine. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  7. ↑ Sass, Erik. "4Info Bows New Mobile Targeting For Direct Mail, Online". Online Media Daily. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  8. ↑ Schiff, Allison. "Location Data Is Not 'The End Game' In Mobile Advertising". Ad Exchanger. Retrieved March 27, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Pankaj Shah founded 4INFO secures $8 M funds". SiliconIndia. Retrieved March 22, 2005.
  10. ↑ Ray, Ramon. "Time to 'Mobilize' Your Site?". Entrepreneur. Retrieved September 30, 2007.
  11. ↑ Ewan. "4INFO's stonkingly good deal with USA Today". Mobile Industry Review. Retrieved October 16, 2007.
  12. ↑ Murphy, David. "Mblox Buys 4INFO's SMS Business". Mobile Marketing. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Emerging tech award winners announced". Silicon Valley Business Journal. Retrieved November 14, 2006.
  14. ↑ Salz, Peggy Anne. "Mobile Advertising Landscape: 4INFO CEO Zaw Thet Ramps Up To Focus On Premium Publishers & Markets Beyond The U.S.". Mobile Groove. Retrieved March 11, 2009.
  15. ↑ Tsirulnik, Giselle (May 5, 2009). "Should brands use mobile ads to promote their Twitter feeds?". Mobile Marketer.
  16. ↑ Khan, Mickey Alam. "GE, VCs invest $20M in SMS ad firm 4Info". Mobile Marketer. Retrieved January 22, 2009.
  17. ↑ Steel, Emily. "4INFO Gets $20 Million". Digits. WSJ. Retrieved January 22, 2009.
  18. ↑ Arrington, Michael. "4INFO Adds New Execs To Fuel 100% Growth/Quarter". TechCrunch. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
  19. ↑ Stewart, Jon. "Global Mobile - Strategies for Growth". Nielsen. Retrieved October 6, 2009.
  20. ↑ Moon, Bernard. "Lunsford Group Wireless Industry Snapshot 2010 Page 38". SparkLabs Global Ventures. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
  21. ↑ Pinola, Melanie. "Useful Things to Do with Regular Cellphones". About.com. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  22. ↑ "SMS and Viral Video Presentations for Non-Profits". Single Tree Media. Retrieved Jan 1, 2015.
  23. ↑ Stutz, Randy. "Analysis of the FTC's Decision Not to Block Google's Acquisition of AdMob Page 9" (PDF). The American Antitrust Institute. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
  24. ↑ "DMN University Digital Solutions Training Online Tutorial Page 31" (PDF). DMN University. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
  25. ↑ Rusli, Evelyn. "4INFO Makes A Real Play For Display: AdHaven Platform Reaches 63 Million". TechCrunch. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  26. ↑ "4INFO Selected by AlwaysOn as an AO100 Top Private Company Award Winner". AlwaysOn. Retrieved July 17, 2007.
  27. ↑ "The 2014 OnMobile 100 Top Private Companies". AlwaysOn. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Walz Tetrick Advertising Brings Home Four Telly Awards". Walz Tetrick. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Telly Awards Winner's List". Telly Awards. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Walz Tetrick Direct Marketing Campaign Wins for Innovation". Walz Tetrick. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  31. ↑ "KCDMA AWARDS DATA-DRIVEN MARKETERS AT THE AMBITS". KCDMA. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  32. ↑ Krzykowski, Matthaus. "4info says its mobile ad business is exploding". Venture Beat. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  33. 1 2 Sterling, Greg. "4INFO Gains Patent For Matching Smartphones to Household Location". Screenwerk. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  34. ↑ Madsen, Greg. "Ka-Ching! 4INFO Links Mobile Ads to Cash Register Success". Mobile Advertising Watch. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  35. 1 2 "For CPG, Mobile Promotions Push Targets to Store". eMarketer. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  36. 1 2 Wasserman, Todd. "Why cross-device tracking is the latest obsession for marketers". Campaign. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  37. ↑ Goldman, Sharon. "Shopper Marketing: Filling the Cart with Big Data". The Mars Agency. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  38. ↑ Smith, Steve. "Yes Virginia, Mobile Banner Ads Really Can Drive Bricks and Mortar Sales". MediaPost. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  39. ↑ Kaplan, David. "For 4Info, 'Measuring What Matters' Means Sales Lift, Not Just In-Store Traffic". GeoMarketing. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  40. ↑ Taylor, Glen. "Mobile Ads Drive Twice The Sales Of Desktop Ad Campaigns". Retail TouchPoints. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  41. 1 2 Tode, Chantal. "Nielsen Catalina Solutions and 4INFO Form Alliance to Launch Mobile Advertising Measurement Services". Mobile Marketer. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
  42. ↑ Urbanski, Al. "Study: Mobile Campaigns Drive Twice the Sales of Desktop". Direct Marketing. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  43. ↑ Smith, Steve. "Acxiom Partners With 4Info For Mobile Retargeting And Attribution At Household Level". MediaPost. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  44. ↑ Clancy, Heather. "Meet App Annie, the go-to source for mobile insight". Fortune Magazine. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  45. ↑ Neff, Jack. "Catalina Marketing will Target Mobile Ads Based on In-Store Purchase History". AdAge. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  46. ↑ Constine, Josh. "Datalogix Raises $25M to Pump Juicy Offline Purchase Data into Google and Facebook". Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  47. ↑ Schiff, Allison. "Experian 'Turns Up The Volume' On Its Cross-Channel Capabilities With New Partners". Ad Exchanger. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  48. ↑ Kaplan, David. "Placed Racks Up Partners And Patents, Crosses Measurement Milestone Of 300M Locations". GeoMarketing. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  49. ↑ "4INFO and DMG Solutions Announce Strategic Alliance, Creating 4INFO Multicultural Solutions". DMG Solutions. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  50. ↑ "Data Partners to Tie Mobile Ads to Drug Refills, Doc Visits". Adage. March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  51. 1 2 3 Kaye, Kate (October 6, 2014). "'Privacy-by-Design' Is Crucial, but Not Easy or Cheap". Advertising Age. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  52. ↑ Kats, Rimma. "4Info, Truste team up to protect mobile consumer privacy". Mobile Marketer. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
  53. ↑ "Your AdChoices Participants". AdChoices. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  54. ↑ Rusli, Evelyn. "4INFO CEO: Expect More Acquisitions, Revenues Will Quintuple [Video]". TechCrunch. Retrieved June 22, 2010.
  55. ↑ "Avidbank Provides New Growth Capital to 4INFO, Expanding Its Credit Facilities to $6,500,000" (press release). Businesswire. August 5, 2014. Retrieved August 23, 2016.

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