ValueFirst acquires mGinger.com in all-cash deal

Bengaluru-based mGinger.com is an opt-in permission-based mobile marketing platform.

Close on the heels of acquiring Hyderabad-based consumer focused internet technology company Way2online, which operates Way2sms.com and 160by2.com, ValueFirst further deepens its foray into mobile marketing, buying out mGinger.com.

An official figure to the all-cash deal could not be ascertained. Launched in 2007, Bengaluru-based mGinger is one of the first movers into the opt-in permission-based mobile marketing sphere. It provides information to consumers related to their particular interests, and also offers monetary incentives for every ad served on their mobile and network with up to two levels of referrals.

On the acquisition, Vishwadeep Bajaj, managing director, ValueFirst, says, "ValueFirst has big plans for the business where we want to extend mGinger's permission-based approach to market beyond just SMS -- to various platforms such as internet, voice and email. In the recent months, mGinger had pivoted to promoting deals. We are evaluating what to do with the deals part of the business and will currently focus on scaling their media business."

The strategic acquisition will give ValueFirst another four million profiled opted-in registered users, in addition to its 50 million opted-in subscribers across other assets.

According to Bajaj, ValueFirst will be able to leverage the mGinger brand name, profiled user base and niche targeting technology, along with its existing technology platform and sales infrastructure to offer innovative digital scalable solutions to its clients and media agencies.

Chaitanya Nallan, founder and chief executive officer, mGinger.com, says, "We were successful in establishing permission-driven marketing as one of the most effective ways of advertising. It enabled us to create a vibrant mGinger community. This, along with our targeting technology, produced high ROIs for our advertisers. ValueFirst had been our partner since the inception of mGinger and understands our core values. mGinger will continue to grow under the ValueFirst umbrella."