MyAds, an app developed by SiDon Media, a new venture of Simeon Ononobi, the founder of the Nigerian payments company, SimplePay, just launched today.
The app allows users get rewarded for allowing targeted ads display on their phones during incoming calls.
By installing the app, users give it the permission to generate adverts and display it on their phone during a phone call while it earns them points. Users can up earn up to N15 on a single call, Simeon tells me.
Simeon Ononobi is the Chief Innovations Officer at SiDon and he explains the solution was developed to help ease the problem SimplePay faces with placing targeted ads. “We created the app in order to solve a huge problem we were faced with when trying to advertise to specific customers.”
The app is available on the four major telcos in Nigeria presently – Airtel, MTN, Etisalat and Glo (links to Google play). Users are required to download telco-specific versions of the app.
Currently only available on Android, on download, the app requires users to register with their mobile numbers to begin to earn points which can be converted to airtime. I tested the app and it actually works as advertized. I earned 3 units / N3 on my first try but Simeon says I would have earned more if I interacted with the message displayed during the call. Though a bit spammy in the way it looks, it’s anything but. At least my trusty antivirus doesn’t think it is.
The app will be getting updates soon. Coupons, discounts, geo-located deals from brands and news are some functionalities that will be added in the coming months, according to the developers. They are also looking to build out a community with competitions for users creating personal ads on the platform or suggested brands for advertisers, and rewards to best users.
MyAds has about 200 advertisers signed up currently, including UBA, FCMB, SimplePay, Airtel, and MTN.
SiDon media is Simeon Ononobi’s latest venture, but he is still working at SimplePay which recently closed an investment round from Nigeria Bank of Industry. SiDon Media is a digital ads company that Simeon says is going to disrupt advertising in Africa.
