Microsoft kicks off advertising on mobile phones, MSN Mobile in US

How do you know when a nascent market is really starting to stretch its legs and build some legit momentum? When giants like Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) start to accept the market and give a proverbial nod in its direction. As much as as talk-up the mobile market (in respect to advertising, in this case), Microsoft hasn’t quite taken up advertising in the US mobile market. Microsoft has already had mobile-based advertisements in place Belgium, France, Spain, Japan, and the UK, but the US has yet to see those ads. Well, today all that changes.

Microsoft has kicked off their advertising campaign in the mobile space with their first ads on US MSN Mobile. US users will start to notice advertisements from the likes of Bank of America, Jaguar, and Paramount Pictures.  Advertising in the mobile space is just another facet of Microsoft’s multi-pronged ad-strategy. The software giant is looking to bring in lucrative advertising dollars by offering customers the option of placing ads in a wide range of outlets – from the mobile space to its XBOX Live service. In an age of ever-increasing mobility and convergence, traditionally entrenched market-giants like Microsoft are going to have to adapt their business model to accommodate changes in the mobile landscape – of which mobile advertising is just the start.

On a related note, Microsoft is planning to expand its offerings through MSN Mobile by rolling out astrology (yippee) and movie ticket purchasing services.

[Via: Reuters]