AOL Acquires Mobile Ad Provider Third Screen Media

May 16th, 2007

AOL announced today that it has acquired mobile advertising network and mobile ad-serving and management platform provider Third Screen Media. Third Screen Media will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of AOL’s Advertising.com division.

Third Screen Media provide ad management and delivered via WAP, downloadable applications, SMS, MMS and mobile video. The acquisition allows AOL to make an independant entry into the mobile marketing industry.

Advertising.com is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AOL, and is yet another online marketing company that is owned by a search engine. Google, of course owns DoubleClick, and MSN have been rumoured to be eyeing 24/7 Real Media. This trend of search engines owning marketing agencies in itself is a bit anti-competitive, and will sooner or later raise questions in the market.

Read the official press release from Third Screen Media

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