Expanding Ads Come to the iPhone

In recent months a range of ad firms have begun laying claim to the steadily growing pool of Web traffic generated by iPhone users. AdMob, JumpTap and Platform A are among those offering maps, click to call, and other ad functions suited to the device’s unique capabilities.

Now PointRoll, perhaps the most prominent rich media vendor, is getting in on the iPhone’s rich features and multi-touch action. The Gannet-owned firm has begun offering advertisers and agencies the ability to use its trademark expandable ads when targeting users of the device. PointRoll’s iPhone ads are accepted on mobile sites run by ESPN, AOL’s Platform-A, MLB.com, and Ask.com, as well as Gannet sister sites like USAToday.com. In addition to expandable ads (really just enlargeable ads), PointRoll also supports video, coupon downloads, maps, click-to-call, and data capture features.

PointRoll indicated it sees an opportunity in the lack of Flash availability on iPhones. Adobe says it’s working on a version of the software for the device, but it’s unclear when or if Apple will embrace it.

“Marketers simply can’t wait for Adobe and Apple to figure out how to run Flash while iPhone’s huge market of early-adopters do the one thing they are not good at, stand still,” PointRoll said.