SessionM's mCAST Personalizes the Mobile Ad Experience

BOSTON, Oct. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- SessionM, the mobile loyalty and rewards platform, today announced the availability of mCAST (Mobile Custom Audience Segmentation Tool), helping brands and publishers create mobile ad and content experiences based on consumers' self-reported preferences.

mCAST is the first mobile targeting solution that combines self-reported survey data with other first-party data sources, allowing brands to reach the right audience for every campaign. At the heart of mCAST is a survey tool that prompts consumers to answer questions about their lifestyles, brand preferences and shopping behaviors in exchange for mPOINTS across hundreds of mobile apps. Survey responses supplement additional first-party data sources such as registration data, location data and reward redemption history to maximize relevancy of both ads and rewards across the SessionM network. SessionM is also making mCAST available to its growing list of publishers to improve their direct sales. The company's logged-in user base is on rapid growth trajectory, adding more than 1.5 million new registered users per month.

"By virtue of the fact that we power a mobile loyalty and rewards platform for leading publishers, we are able to develop direct consumer relationships that other mobile ad networks will never be able to establish," said Bill Clifford, Chief Revenue Officer, SessionM. "What we've found is that when you give consumers control, transparency and tangible value, they are more than willing to reciprocate by giving you their attention and valuable insights into who they are and what they like."

The Weather Channel, which uses SessionM to power their in-app loyalty program, has leveraged mCAST to better personalize ads to their users, resulting in an average 67 percent engagement rate for ads displayed by SessionM – over 4 times higher than the industry average. They've also used the data to fine-tune the rewards users receive for participating in the loyalty program. On average, Weather Channel app users redeem more than 15,000 rewards each week.

"The Weather Channel is firmly focused on providing the best possible experience to mobile users. Ensuring that the ads and rewards users receive are relevant to them is key to this focus, and mCAST has provided invaluable insights to help us achieve this," said Cameron Clayton, President, Digital Group, The Weather Channel.

Syfy, a media destination for imagination-based entertainment, leveraged mCAST capabilities during the launch of the new season of "Face Off." With the goal of increasing viewership for the new season, Syfy used mCAST to identify current network viewers and target them with a special ad message, thanking them for their viewership and encouraging them to tune in for the new season. This consumer-first approach led to big results: More than 70 percent of consumers opted-in to watch the video and 27 percent clicked through.

"We're excited about the results we've seen from our work with SessionM," said Dana Ortiz, Vice President of Brand Marketing, Syfy. "We constantly strive to raise the bar in creating the most innovative and engaging experience for consumers when connecting with the Syfy brand. SessionM plays a big part in helping us achieve these goals. Their ad formats and targeting capabilities let us connect with consumers in ways that are both entertaining and relevant. To be able to thank our fans through this ad campaign was a first for us and truly resonated with our viewers."

About SessionM
Founded in 2011 by industry veterans of mobile technology companies, SessionM has built the largest mobile loyalty and rewards platform that connects consumers with mobile content and advertising in fun and rewarding new ways. Clients include some of the most notable developers and advertisers in the world, including Viacom Interactive, The Weather Channel, Demand Media, PepsiCo, Universal, Volvo and Unilever. SessionM is funded by Charles River Ventures, Highland Capital and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. The company is part of the iFund initiative at KPCB. SessionM is headquartered in Boston with offices across the country. For more information on SessionM, visit www.sessionm.com.

Contact:
Deborah Powsner 
SessionM, Vice President
Marketing & Consumer Insights
914-924-5416
[email protected]

SOURCE SessionM