Maker of the tremendously popular mobile game Angry Birds, Rovio, has recently announced that it will be partnering with the Shanghai-based major ad network, Madhouse, in order to bring the app to China.
This is the next step in Helsinki-based Rovio’s goal to achieve one billion downloads for the game. So far, the game has been downloaded over 300 million times. The move to China will also help the company to reduce its concern over the pirating of the app in that country.
The announcement of the partnership was made at the Shanghai ChinaJoy 2011 conference. Madhouse will now be sending Rovio game ads out across China in order to help to build the popularity of Angry Birds in China, as well as to monetize it.
Rich media ads and in-app banners will be placed inside the game by Madhouse, generating a custom tailored marketing solution for the Chinese marketplace. Advertisers using the SmartMad ad network by Madhouse are now capable of placing their ads in front of the users of the Angry Birds game as they play.
Created in 2001, Madhouse is a mobile ad organization that is well established in the country and which uses intelligent networking technology. It claims to be able to reach three quarters of all of the mobile internet users in China, of which are currently estimated to be 900 million. According to Madhouse chief exec, Joshua Maa, the partnership will probably draw significant attention from brands hoping to reach players of Angry Birds.