Zoove Secures New $5 Million Investment from Rogers Ventures to Deliver StarStar Numbers to Brands and Advertisers

PALO ALTO, Calif. and TORONTO, Oct. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Zoove announced today that it has secured five million dollars in funding by Rogers Ventures, the venture capital arm of Rogers Communications Inc., Canada's largest provider of wireless voice and data communications services and one of Canada's leading providers of cable television, high-speed Internet and telephony services. Zoove also announced that Mike Lee, Vice President of Rogers Ventures will join Zoove's Board of Directors.

This new five million dollar investment is in addition to the $15 million Round D funding the company announced last month. Zoove will use the funds to further accelerate its U.S. operations as the exclusive provider of StarStar numbers for the largest wireless operators in the United States, reaching more than 250 million people.

StarStar numbers let brands easily connect with people – anytime, anywhere, on any mobile phone. They are easy-to-remember branded vanity mobile numbers designed to be promoted as part of any marketing campaign, such as: billboards, print or online ads, TV and radio commercials, consumer packaged goods and more. With StarStar numbers, consumers simply call the name of the brand they see being promoted (e.g. **BRAND).  Instantly, the brand's mobile app, Web page, coupon, videos or more, can be pushed directly to consumers' mobile phones – without the need to use bar code readers or disjointed text message short codes.

"StarStar numbers can be the next great 'name space' for advertisers– similar to branded URL names and vanity 1-800 numbers," said Mike Lee, Vice President of Venture Investments at Rogers Ventures.  "Brands should want to stake their claim to their own StarStar numbers to create a simple mobile extension for all of their other advertising efforts.  It's an exciting proposition for Rogers Ventures, and I look forward to joining the Board and supporting Zoove's bright future."  

"Few companies understand the unique value of multi-screen advertising and promotion better than Rogers, so securing their support is a real testament to our progress and potential," said Joe Gillespie, President and CEO of Zoove. "StarStar numbers extend beyond simple 'mobile advertising' since they provide a direct response mechanism that can be promoted on any advertising medium. We're steadily gaining wide interest from major brands and advisers seeking a simpler, easier way to engage directly with mobile consumers."

Pricing and Brand Engagement Model

For consumers, there is no extra charge to call a StarStar number. After the initial phone call, users typically receive a text message or voicemail prompting them to engage further, and at that point they can opt in to view websites, download apps, etc. based on their phone's capabilities. Standard voice, data and/or messaging charges based on the user's plan apply at that time.

Brands or advertisers seeking to create or use a StarStar number must register with Zoove, which has exclusive technical integrations across carriers' networks that enable networks to recognize and process StarStar numbers properly. Zoove also provides content review and oversight on behalf of wireless carriers to ensure that brands' marketing campaigns adhere to carrier guidelines and policies. Brands pay Zoove an annual fee for their StarStar number and fees vary based on the length and scarcity of the number. Brands also receive access to Zoove's cloud-based content management system. This simple Web-based console enables brands to plan and schedule their StarStar number campaigns, by uploading, managing, and publishing their multimedia content to callers - along with real-time reports and analytics.

Zoove launched its national StarStar registry earlier this year with vanity numbers serving several major brands such as **SUZUKI (**789854) for Suzuki and **FLOWERS (**3569377) for 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, and has supported numerous campaigns with major brands in recent months. A more comprehensive list of StarStar numbers used in public campaigns is provided on the company's website at www.zoove.com.

Additional information about Zoove or StarStar can be found at www.zoove.com, or to reach a sales associate call (877) 283-5495 or simply call **ZOOVE (**96683) from a U.S. mobile phone.

About Zoove

Zoove operates an exclusive registry of vanity StarStar numbers that lets brands easily connect with people – anytime, anywhere, on any mobile phone. Zoove is the exclusive provider of StarStar numbers for the largest wireless operators in the United States, serving more than 250 million people. With StarStar numbers, consumers simply call the name of the brand they see being promoted. Instantly, they can be pushed that brand's mobile app, Web page, coupon, videos or more, directly to their mobile phones – without the need to use bar code readers or disjointed text message short codes. StarStar numbers are designed to be promoted as part of any marketing campaign, such as: billboards, print ads, TV and radio commercials, online ads and more. Zoove provides the mobile connection brands are seeking, and the ability to measure the results instantly. Based in Palo Alto, Calif., additional information about Zoove is available at www.zoove.com or by simply calling **ZOOVE (**96683) from a mobile phone.

About Rogers Ventures

Rogers Ventures is the venture capital arm of Rogers Communications Inc. Its mandate is to invest in broadband enabled wire-line and wireless companies with a focus on mobile finance, machine-to-machine, cloud computing, and mobile advertising. For more information visit www.rogersventures.com.  

All product and service names listed in this release remain property of their parent companies and do not indicate official support or endorsement for Zoove or its services.

SOURCE Zoove

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