Company introduces map advertising service for mobile devices

Relevantis has announced an advertising platform supporting paid icons for interactive maps and navigation systems.

Available now, the platform places branded icons on a map, allowing customers to interact with advertisers with a single click or touch.

These interactive, branded icons on the map are paid advertisements and allow users to click an icon to, for example, get a coupon from a nearby Starbucks.

“At Relevantis, our goal is to enable advertising that doesn’t feel like advertising,” said Relevantis CEO Scott Searle. “With map advertising, everybody wins: The map publisher receives revenue from advertising; advertisers are able to reach out to consumers in an engaging and effective manner; and, most importantly, end users have a great experience that doesn’t feel like advertising. The map icons feel natural – like they belong. This leads to greater ad revenues and increased customer satisfaction and retention.”

The platform supports icons that let the user interact with advertisers in a rich manner. For example, customers can instantly receive a coupon from the advertiser, call the advertiser or get directions. Advertisers are charged based on the number of impressions their icon receives or the number of actions (such as click-for-coupon) enabled.

The platform further allows existing advertisements to be repurposed for maps.

Targeting mobile phone maps and in-car navigation systems, the platform also supports online map products.