New Delhi, November 5, 2012: Seventynine, India’s fastest growing mobile ad network, will be an independent business unit under the Networkplay umbrella, with co-founders of Seventynine, Chirag Shah and Deven Dharamdasani will continue to lead the business.
Smile Vun Group (SVG), the digital media conglomerate, and Gruner + Jahr’s (a Bertelsmann division) Indian entity, Networkplay last week announced the sales transaction of the Seventynine, mobile ad-network. Seventynine was launched in April 2012 by Smile Vun Group with an extensive focus on rich media inventory especially videos and HTML5 to enrich user experience. The mobile ad-network recorded its first milestone in July 2012 when it clocked record growth by serving 700 million ad requests within three months of operation.
Seventynine is currently serving 1.8 billion ad requests and focusing actively on building inventories across mobile applications and mobile web. Apart from its ad-platform, Seventynine also possesses Seventynine App Analytics Service andPredictive Analytics Engine.
Says Manish Vij, Founder, Smile Vun Group: “SVG is committed to introducing path-breaking businesses in the digital media industry and accelerating their journey to success. Our seven months association with Seventynine has been extremely successful leading it to be the fastest growing mobile ad-network in India. Seventynine has great potential as a business and we are certain that its association with Gruner+Jahr will provide a global platform for the business to grow further. This alliance is the beginning of our relationship with Gruner+Jahr.”
Adds Dr. Torsten-Jörn Klein, President, Gruner+Jahr International: “The expansion of Networkplay in the mobile space through the acquisition of Seventynine is clearly following our strategic commitment to grow our mobile business in the Indian market. G+J believes that in the Indian market, one of the fastest growing digital markets, the mobile segment will gain increasing importance. G+J is looking forward to further expand in that area together with Networkplay and the Seventynine team.”
Seventynine’s Co-founders, Chirag and Deven say: “We are excited about our association with Networkplay and being a part of the international Gruner + Jahr and Bertelsmann family. We would like to express our gratitude to Smile Vun Group for believing in our vision and goals and helping us grow at such a phenomenal rate. We are certain that association with Networkplay would be an impetus for our business and aid our objective of becoming the leading player in the mobile advertising space in India and beyond.”
Seventynine is G+J’s second digital acquisition in India after Networkplay, which was acquired by G+J earlier this year. Gruner + Jahr intends to strengthen its digital presence in the Indian market and Seventynine’s acquisition will help G+J and Networkplay fortify their competence and position in the mobile space.
In the new group, Seventynine’s immediate focus would be technology, product and expansion in South East Asia and Middle East.
Seventynine, the mobile ad-network was launched in July 2011 and started commercial engagement in April 2012 with a focus on rich media inventory especially videos to enrich user experience. Seventynine is currently working with brands such as Microsoft, Intel, Lufthansa, Nokia, Opera Mini, ICICI bank, ICI Dulux, Tata Docomo, Nazara, LG, Swizz Tourism, etc.. Seventynine has a highly credible publisher database; it is working closely with The Times Group, AOL, Reuters, Business Standard, Nimbuzz, Angry Bird, Talking Tom Cat etc and has tie-ups with leading exchanges across the world.
Why Seventy Nine? "The human body consists of seventy-eight organs & organ systems. Our pursuit is to bring in the next essential organ to a conscious ecosystem. Whilst not deliberating a feel on the humanoid bionetwork (which we don’t have full understanding of as yet), we believe we are very well versed in the digital media ecosystem, and can act as the next essential organ in that ecology” http://www.seventynine.mobi
The printer and publisher Gruner + Jahr is Europe’s leading magazine publisher. Some 11,800 staff worldwide reach readers and users in more than 30 countries with more than 500 media activities, magazines and digital offers and make Gruner + Jahr is a market leader in many segments and not only Europe’s biggest magazine publisher but one of the biggest publishers in the world. Through the acquisition of a majority stake in MaXposure Media Group in India in July 2011, G+J entered the Indian market with its own publishing operations after launching GEO in 2008. MaXposure is one of the Top 3 Corporate Publishing companies in the Indian market and caters to national and international brands like AirIndia, Axis Bank, Daimler, Mercedes Benz, Spicejet and many more. Moreover, MaXposure publishes B2C magazines in upscale segments such as beauty, lifestyle and men. In early 2012, G+J expanded its foothold in the digital segment in India through the acquisition of a majority in Networkplay Media, India’s fastest growing digital ad network with a leading presence on internet, mobile and DTH platforms and partnerships with best in class advertisers and publishers. www.guj.de