UK bookmaker Ladbrokes has signed a two-year deal with mobile marketing and advertising technology provider Velti as the company continues to focus on further developing its mobile offering.
Velti will supply its cloud-based mobile messaging platform, mGage Communicate Pro, to Ladbrokes' retail division.
The solution offers real-time messaging to enhance communication, improve efficiency and drive revenue for brands. The cloud-based messaging platform enables businesses to send customers personalized, timely and relevant messages via multiple channels such as SMS, MMS, push notifications, email, outbound dialling and social media channels.
Complementary features such as mobile coupons, Passbook passes and mobile microsites can also be set up and managed through the platform.
Rob Sweeting, Ladbrokes’ head of retail CRM, said: “The importance of securing a market-leading partner in mobile to support our digital engagement strategy with customers is vital. We seek to deliver an excitement that customers can't refuse and wanted to work with an experienced mobile partner to ensure that we are maximising the effectiveness of our marketing communications to grow revenues from this important channel.”
Velti said that through an interactive user interface, Ladbrokes can set up multi-step campaigns based on individual user behaviour, to send personalised communications to their opted-in customer base. Two-way communication between Velti's platform and Ladbrokes' existing back-end system is enabled through the platform API.
“Working with Ladbrokes is a great step forward for us in the gambling sector, as we believe we can play an active part with our technology and mobile marketing expertise, to help Ladbrokes really tap into the increasingly important mobile channel as part of their overall digital ambitions,” said Velti's UK general manager Surash Patel.
Founded more than 13 years ago, Velti now has a global footprint in over 15 countries, supporting a number of Fortune 500 companies.
The company announced Tuesday that it will voluntarily delist its shares from the NASDAQ stock exchange, which is expected to become effective ten days after it files a notice with the Securities and Exchange Commission or December 16th.
Velti is pursuing a sale of its US, UK, and Indian mobile marketing businesses and certain of its US-based advertising businesses to GSO Capital Partners, the credit division of Blackstone.
Velti is operating its US operations as debtor-in-possession under the protection of the US bankruptcy laws, while the company's operations in the UK, Greece, China, Brazil, India, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and other jurisdictions outside the US are continuing normal business operations.
It follows a difficult trading performance by the company this year, with revenues falling 35 per cent to $72.2m for the first half of 2013 and net loss soaring to $286.6m following charges of $133.1m relating to impairment of goodwill and intangible assets.