Blyk: another MVNO enters the ads-for-minutes fold
We're not entirely sure what chemical they've put in the water in the past couple years to make everyone suddenly think that cellphone users want to get blasted with ads in exchange for airtime -- but alas, please welcome Blyk (not to be confused with "bilk") to the party. The upstart Finnish MVNO, put together by an ex-Nokia exec, looks to target young Europeans aged 16 to 24 as soon as next summer by hooking them up with questionnaires that will allow advertisers to send ultra-targeted ads based on lifestyle, hobbies, and preferences. Blyk claims that most handsets already on the market will be compatible with its service -- even those without graphical displays -- suggesting that most ads will initially fly over SMS. The company is making a big stink over the fact that they're the first to suggest that this is a good idea; we think Xero Mobile would beg to differ, but that's one chicken we won't be counting 'til it hatches.
[Via Smart Mobs]
