ReadWriteWeb

Jumptap, a mobile ad targeting company, announced new partners today that will help the company acquire off-line data about consumers. That data can help app developers target ads at users. Jumptap has partnered with Targusinfo, Polk, Acxiom and Datalogix to add data such as purchase history and vehicle and market segmentation. While consumers may not like the idea of having specific ads targeted at their mobile devices, it is an effective way for developers to help monetize their endeavors.

Offline data can vastly increase Jumptap's ability to target ads. Each of the four new partners specializes in a different category of offline data (see below for more details on each). Yet, the words mobile, targeting and advertisements set off alarm bells in consumers' heads. Just as location is a sensitive issue, targeted advertising stokes the consumer fear of privacy violations, warranted or not. Jumptap aims to keep the balance between using data to target ads that will help developers make money and respect consumer privacy.

Imagine a random web.

Your favorite current affairs news blog, which couldn't survive on Viagra ads, is now charging subscriptions. Your e-tail site of choice keeps recommending country music, which you outgrew years ago. And your default social network's constant entreaties for donations finally annoy you so much that you do the unthinkable: switch to MySpace (at least it is supported by News Corp's old-media money).

This is too much. So, you pick up a copy of Portfolio magazine and browse the ads for financial products, reassured that at least this medium knows how to target its audience.