Arvato Ready for US$3.4mn Sao Paulo Launch

The Brazilian unit of German mobile content provider Arvato Mobile is preparing to launch a 6mn-real (US$3.4mn) advertising campaign to launch its offering in Sao Paulo, local daily Gazeta Mercantil reported.

Arvato already operates in Bahia, Sergipe and Rio de Janeiro, but to target Sao Paulo the firm needed to sign separate agreements with operators Vivo, Oi, TIM Brasil and Claro. The last of those deals, with Claro, was closed in the last few days.

Sao Paulo is a crucial addition to the operation since it accounts for 40% of active mobile lines in Brazil.

Arvato specializes in providing multimedia clips and text message content that is advertised on popular TV channels, like MTV, and uploaded to viewers' cell phones when they request the content via an SMS message. In Bahia, Sergipe and Rio de Janeiro Arvato has been handling 2mn transactions a year.

Arvato is part of German publishing group Bertelsmann.

Posted to the site on 13th November 2007