Motricity buys GoldPocket Wireless

Merger mania continues in the mobile content space, after a brief hiatus: Motricity has acquired GoldPocket Wireless for an undisclosed sum. GoldPocket Wireless specializes in interactive TV campaigns that make use of SMS and MMS. The merger strengthens Motricity's portfolio of media clients, messaging capabilities and their off-deck plans, which the company launched through partnerships with BET and Ask.com during the past six months. The combined company claims to power the largest mobile operator in the U.S., six of the top 10 carriers in North America and 20 of the top television networks. It also offers everything from storefronts, portals, content aggregation and community applications to messaging aggregation, interactive campaigns and a variety of other mobile marketing solutions.

During a quick interview with FierceMobileContent following the deal, Motricity's CEO Ryan Wuerch added that GoldPocket Wireless' "current media partners, have, no question, the strongest growth curve in the industry" when it comes to mobile content. The push into off-deck is the integral driver of the deal. "What off-deck enables us to do is better understand what a consumer is buying on Friday night from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.," and we can use that information "to better serve the consumer," Wuerch said. Wuerch also noted that since GoldPocket Wireless was partially owned by Tandberg Television (49 percent), "they have a better understanding of interactive TV than competitors like m-Qube, mBlox and others." GoldPocket investors also included Time Warner, Allen & Company and RRE Ventures.

For more on Motricity's acquisition of GoldPocket Wireless:
- see this press release