4INFO

{{Short description|American advertising corporation}} {{Infobox company | name = 4INFO Inc. | logo = 4INFO logo.png | logo_size = | logo_padding = | image = 4INFO Headquarters.jpg | image_size = 200 | image_caption = 4INFO Headquarters | native_name_lang =  | type = Subsidiary | industry = Targeted advertising<br>Big data | founded = {{start date and age|2004|09|8}} in Palo Alto, California, United States | founder = Pankaj Shah, Zaw Thet | hq_location = San Jose, California | area_served = United States, Latin America and Mexico | key_people = Tim Jenkins (CEO) | revenue = {{increase}} US$28,000,000 | revenue_year = 2014 | net_income_year =  | num_employees = 45 | num_employees_year =  | parent = Nielsen Holdings | module =  | ratio =  | footnotes = <ref name="Latin America">{{cite web|title=4Info and WAU Movil Partner to Offer Mobile Marketing Solutions to Latin America|url=http://technews.tmcnet.com/news/2010/09/29/5035088.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714212609/http://technews.tmcnet.com/news/2010/09/29/5035088.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 14, 2014|publisher=Close-Up Media|access-date=September 29, 2010}}</ref><ref name="CEO">{{cite web|last=Cook|first=Dena|title=Zaw Thet Steps Down As 4INFO CEO|url=http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/162280/zaw-thet-steps-down-as-4info-ceo.html|publisher=MediaPost|access-date=November 14, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Rowley|first=Liz|title=Inc. Mag's Revenue Survey: Ad Tech And Marketing Firms Make The Cut|date=18 August 2015|url=http://adexchanger.com/ad-exchange-news/inc-mags-revenue-survey-ad-tech-and-marketing-firms-make-the-cut/|publisher=Ad Exchanger|access-date=August 18, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Mexico">{{cite web|title=Acxiom Expands to Mexico Enabling Better Engagement and Reach|url=https://www.martechadvisor.com/news/dmp-cdp/acxiom-expands-to-mexico-enabling-better-engagement-and-reach/|publisher=Martech Advisor|access-date=July 24, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=July 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> | website = {{URL|4info.com/}} }}

'''4INFO Inc.''' is an American targeted advertising corporation.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sass|first=Erik|title=4Info Bows New Mobile Targeting For Direct Mail, Online|url=http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/197049/4info-bows-new-mobile-targeting-for-direct-mail-o.html|publisher=Online Media Daily|access-date=April 1, 2013}}</ref> The company was owned by Nielsen Holdings. It was acquired by Cadent in 2020.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cadent Acquires 4INFO, Expands Cross-Screen TV Capabilities for National Advertisers|date=2 January 2020|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cadent-acquires-4info-expands-cross-screen-tv-capabilities-for-national-advertisers-300980531.html|publisher=PR Newswire|access-date=July 18, 2024}}</ref>

== History ==

4Info was founded in 2004 by Pankaj Shah{{cn|date=May 2024}} and Zaw Thet.<ref name="CEO"/> It originally focused on text-based SMS advertising, SMS publishing and mobile search.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ray|first=Ramon|title=Time to 'Mobilize' Your Site?|date=30 September 2007|url=http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/184964|publisher=Entrepreneur|access-date=September 30, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Ewan|title=4INFO's stonkingly good deal with USA Today|date=16 October 2007|url=http://www.mobileindustryreview.com/2007/10/4infos_stonkingly_good_deal_with_usa_today.html|publisher=Mobile Industry Review|access-date=October 16, 2007}}</ref>

In 2008, the company was estimated to be the largest provider of business-to-consumer SMS content in North America by Nielsen Holdings,<ref>{{cite web|last=Khan|first=Mickey Alam|title=GE, VCs invest $20M in SMS ad firm 4Info|url=http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/messaging/2504.html|publisher=Mobile Marketer|access-date=January 22, 2009}}</ref> claiming to send 80 million text messages a month in early 2009<ref name=WSJ>{{cite news|last=Steel|first=Emily|title=4INFO Gets $20 Million|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/01/22/4info-gets-20-million/|work=Digits |date=22 January 2009|publisher=WSJ|access-date=January 22, 2009}}</ref> and 200 million text messages a month in early 2010.<ref>{{cite web|last=Arrington|first=Michael|title=4INFO Adds New Execs To Fuel 100% Growth/Quarter|url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/05/03/4info-adds-new-execs-to-fuel-100-growthquarter/|publisher=TechCrunch|access-date=May 3, 2010}}</ref> Nielsen rated 4Info the fourth largest SMS U.S. Network.<ref>{{cite web|last=Stewart|first=Jon|title=Global Mobile - Strategies for Growth|url=http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/newswire/2009/global-mobile-strategies-for-growth.html|publisher=Nielsen|access-date=October 6, 2009}}</ref> In 2010, the company was the largest provider of free text message alerts and information in the United States.,<ref>{{cite web|last=Moon|first=Bernard|title=Lunsford Group Wireless Industry Snapshot 2010 Page 38|date=26 July 2010|url=http://www.slideshare.net/bernardmoon/lunsford-group-wireless-industry-snapshot-2010?qid=af1003cf-0440-4b02-a19b-0debbf0ae8d7&v=qf1&b=&from_search=1|publisher=SparkLabs Global Ventures|access-date=July 26, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=SMS and Viral Video Presentations for Non-Profits|date=8 August 2011|url=http://singletreemedia.com/nonprofit/|publisher=Single Tree Media|access-date=Jan 1, 2015}}</ref> and the largest American SMS Network.<ref name="Latin America"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Stutz|first=Randy|title=Analysis of the FTC's Decision Not to Block Google's Acquisition of AdMob Page 9|url=http://www.antitrustinstitute.org/sites/default/files/google-admob%20white%20paper_060720101348.pdf|publisher=The American Antitrust Institute|access-date=June 7, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140720113045/http://www.antitrustinstitute.org/sites/default/files/google-admob%20white%20paper_060720101348.pdf|archive-date=July 20, 2014|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=DMN University Digital Solutions Training Online Tutorial Page 31|url=http://www.dmnuniversity.com/DST/downloads/Mobile-All_9-1.pdf|publisher=DMN University|access-date=July 1, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714195917/http://www.dmnuniversity.com/DST/downloads/Mobile-All_9-1.pdf|archive-date=July 14, 2014}}</ref>

The company began providing mobile display advertising in 2010, based on connecting American households to IP addresses.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2011/01/19/4info-mobile-display-ad-business/|title=4info says its mobile ad business is exploding|last=Krzykowski|first=Matthaus|date=19 January 2011|publisher=Venture Beat|access-date=January 19, 2011}}</ref> In 2010, 4Info acquired Butter, a company which created ad campaigns for the iPhone and Android platform.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rusli |first=Evelyn |title=4INFO CEO: Expect More Acquisitions, Revenues Will Quintuple [Video] |url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/06/22/4info-ceo-expect-more-acquisitions-revenues-will-quintuple-video/ |access-date=June 22, 2010 |publisher=TechCrunch}}</ref>

The company is headquartered in San Jose, California with other offices in the United States. As of 2015, it employed 45 people.<ref name="Inc. 5000 2015: 4INFO">{{cite web|title=Inc. 5000 2015: 4INFO|url=http://www.inc.com/profile/4info|publisher=Inc.|access-date=August 12, 2015}}</ref> In 2015, the company was included on the Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies.<ref name="Inc. 5000 2015: 4INFO" /> In May 2015, MBlox, an independent SMS provider, acquired 4Info's SMS business line.<ref>{{cite web |last=Murphy |first=David |title=Mblox Buys 4INFO's SMS Business |date=27 May 2015 |url=http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/mblox-buys-4infos-sms-business/ |access-date=May 27, 2015 |publisher=Mobile Marketing}}</ref>

In March 2016, 4Info and Crossix formed a strategic alliance for targeted advertising of pharmaceutical products in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 3, 2016 |title=Data Partners to Tie Mobile Ads to Drug Refills, Doc Visits |url=http://adage.com/article/dataworks/data-partners-tie-mobile-ads-drug-refills-doc-visits/302937/ |access-date=July 4, 2016 |publisher=Adage}}</ref>

== Software and services ==

The company purchases anonymous data from internet service providers, mobile network operators, and other information aggregate sources, then uses marketing mix modeling to send targeted advertisements from their clients.<ref>{{cite web |last=Goldman |first=Sharon |title=Shopper Marketing: Filling the Cart with Big Data |url=http://www.themarsagency.com/shopper-marketing-filling-the-cart-with-big-data/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170610092043/http://www.themarsagency.com/shopper-marketing-filling-the-cart-with-big-data/ |archive-date=June 10, 2017 |access-date=June 19, 2014 |publisher=The Mars Agency}}</ref><ref name="Targeted Ads" /> The company then cross references with CPG data to look at actual purchases made by those who viewed ads.<ref name="cross-device" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Steve |title=Yes Virginia, Mobile Banner Ads Really Can Drive Bricks and Mortar Sales |url=http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/249344/yes-virginia-mobile-banner-ads-really-can-drive-b.html |access-date=May 7, 2015 |publisher=MediaPost}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Kaplan |first=David |date=11 May 2015 |title=For 4Info, 'Measuring What Matters' Means Sales Lift, Not Just In-Store Traffic |url=http://www.geomarketing.com/for-4info-measuring-what-matters-means-sales-lift-not-just-in-store-traffic |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918092119/https://geomarketing.com/for-4info-measuring-what-matters-means-sales-lift-not-just-in-store-traffic |archive-date=18 September 2020 |access-date=May 11, 2015 |publisher=GeoMarketing}}</ref>

In 2014, the company added multiscreen functionality that identifies PC and laptop activity, enabling cross-device targeted advertising, retargeting and multichannel retailing.<ref>{{cite web|last=Madsen|first=Greg|title=Ka-Ching! 4INFO Links Mobile Ads to Cash Register Success|url=http://mobileadvertisingwatch.com/ka-ching-4info-links-mobile-ads-cash-register-success-10346|publisher=Mobile Advertising Watch|access-date=July 29, 2014|archive-date=July 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711042804/https://mobileadvertisingwatch.com/ka-ching-4info-links-mobile-ads-cash-register-success-10346|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Targeted Ads">{{cite web|url=http://www.destinationcrm.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=96101|title=4INFO Launches AdHaven Bullseye MultiScreen (Video Interview)|last=Minsker|first=Maria|date=2 April 2014 |publisher=CRM Magazine|access-date=April 2, 2014}}</ref> The company also offered geotargeting and geofencing.<ref name="geotargeting">{{cite web|title=For CPG, Mobile Promotions Push Targets to Store|url=http://www.emarketer.com/Article/CPG-Mobile-Promotions-Push-Targets-Store/1012587|publisher=eMarketer|access-date=June 10, 2015 }}</ref> In August 2014, the company was awarded a patent for "Systems and methods for statistically associating mobile devices to households"<ref name="Patent">{{cite web |last=Sterling |first=Greg |title=4INFO Gains Patent For Matching Smartphones to Household Location |url=http://screenwerk.com/2014/09/08/4info-gains-patent-for-matching-smarthones-to-households/ |access-date=September 8, 2014 |publisher=Screenwerk}}</ref> claiming they can link 95% of mobile users to their IP address and other devices.<ref name="cross-device">{{cite web|last=Wasserman|first=Todd|title=Why cross-device tracking is the latest obsession for marketers |url=http://www.campaignlive.com/article/why-cross-device-tracking-latest-obsession-marketers/1361742#qiPgtBe4feFqM3SG.02|publisher=Campaign|access-date=August 27, 2015}}</ref>

The company has provided advertising data to companies such as AOL, Acxiom,<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Steve|title=Acxiom Partners With 4Info For Mobile Retargeting And Attribution At Household Level|url=http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/206631/acxiom-partners-with-4info-for-mobile-retargeting.html|publisher=MediaPost|access-date=August 13, 2013}}</ref> Catalist, Datalogix,<ref>{{cite web|last=Constine|first=Josh|title=Datalogix Raises $25M to Pump Juicy Offline Purchase Data into Google and Facebook|date=25 April 2013 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/04/25/datalogix-offline-purchase-data/|access-date=28 January 2014}}</ref> and Experian.<ref>{{cite web|last=Schiff|first=Allison|title=Experian 'Turns Up The Volume' On Its Cross-Channel Capabilities With New Partners|date=12 November 2014 |url=http://www.destinationcrm.com/Articles/CRM-News/CRM-Across-the-Wire/4INFO-and-Nielsen-Collaborate-on-TruView-for-Retail-Dining-and-Travel-Advertisers-100540.aspx|publisher=Ad Exchanger|access-date=July 30, 2015 }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

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Category:2004 establishments in California Category:Companies based in San Mateo, California Category:Digital marketing companies of the United States Category:Internet properties established in 2004 Category:Software companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area Category:Software companies of the United States