Internet-based radio service Pandora is beta testing e-mail registration for its advertising partners on mobile devices.
“We’re allowing advertisers to handshake with our user base directly,” said Aimee Higgins, VP of strategic sales and development at Pandora, who spoke at the DMA Conference & Exhibition October 12.
Higgins said there is no definite timeframe for the testing phase, as Pandora first wants to collect data on consumer behavior, adoption and effectiveness.
“We wanted a way help the direct response contingency,” she noted, adding mobile is a good vehicle because “we can put the right message in front of the right audience.”
With earlier products, Higgins said Pandora would act as the middle man, asking consumers if they wanted to receive messaging from particular advertisers. Here, it will tell consumers that advertisers will message to them and lead them to those brands’ opt ins.
Pandora launched the beta test with LivingSocial.com, a site that connects consumers to deals.
Higgins added that the company doesn’t want to inundate its users with the program, and therefore create a negative impression.
She said Pandora continues to address consumers’ privacy concerns, because the consumer decides whether to opt in to the messaging or not.
“[This is an exercise in] targeting through personalization,” Higgins added.
