Unlockd announces partnership with Aircel and Smile

Unlockd, in partnership with Aircel and Smile, has launched the “Aircel Open2Earn” app. This is Unlockd’s eighth market launch globally and first in India. The app provides a value- based proposition for Aircel users, rewarding them with Rs.10 top-up credit every week for simply unlocking their phone and viewing personalized ads, deals and offers, effectively converting their attention into rewards.

Unlockd’s value-exchange model is tailored to meet industry needs, as it allows advertisers to gain first access to opted-in consumers and presents a unique opportunity for high impact and targeted screen time (a time before the user checks Instagram, Spotify or Facebook).

Advertising is delivered based on the user’s interests and geolocation, to ensure maximum relevancy. Users can simply dismiss the ad or click through for more information. They can also check their accumulated points throughout the month in the “progress” tab within the app.

Smile group founder and co-founders, Harish Bahl and Manish Vij, said, “We are delighted to announce our investment in Unlockd as their Indian partner and are excited that local advertisers will now get to experience the same benefits advertisers on other global Unlockd platforms have, such as market leading engagement and deal offer redemption. We have already had very positive interest, with Nearbuy, Little, OYO Rooms and Go Paisa secured for the launch of Open2Earn with more to come.”

Matt Berriman, Co-Founder & CEO, Unlockd, said, “We’re excited to bring our globally proven platform to one of the world’s fastest growing and dynamic markets, one in which a billion Indian subscribers spend hours a day on mobile devices. I’ve always had a vision to provide people a valuable reward for the time they spend on their devices and we can provide up to 40rps a month – up to 30% of a phone bill.Open2Earn not only gives users rewards in the form of mobile top up credits, but also personalized offers, deals and coupons from some of the country’s best-known and loved brands.”

The partnership supports Unlockd’s broader commitment to the Indian market, reflected in its high-profile advisors and investors, opening of an office and recruitment of a local team, including recent senior hire and former Hindustan Times National Head of Sales, Abhijeet Ranjan, as Commercial Director. Unlockd is also supported by Prabhat Sethi, former Managing Director of Murdoch Media, who will establish and drive outcomes of Unlcokd in India.

Anupam Vasudev, Chief Marketing Officer, Aircel, added, “In a highly fragmented market, a proposition like Unlockd’s provides Aircel with a unique opportunity to build stronger relationships with our existing customers by rewarding them for something they are doing every day – spending time on their mobile devices. At the same time the model will drive new revenue streams for our business and attract new customers to the network.”

Unlockd is considered the first company to create an “attention-based” virtual currency. The company plans to apply its technology to multiple industries to provide consumers with a meaningful value exchange. We have created the world’s largest ad-driven virtual currency, and are on track to return $500 million to the Unlockd community globally by 2025.

In less than two years Unlockd has achieved several milestones, making it among the world’s fastest-growing media and technology companies:

· Launched “Unlockd Connect” for telcos in six major markets (US, UK, Caribbean, UAE, Indonesia, and India)

· Launched “Unlockd Stream” for OTT streaming services with MTV Trax in the UK

· Launched ‘Unlockd Loyalty’ for loyalty programs with Australia’s biggest loyalty program, Flybuys

· Raised Series B funding of $30 million, totalling $50 million invested since 2015

· Now it has global teams based across its offices in Delhi, London, New York, Singapore and Melbourne