Vodafone Netherlands has a new twist on ad-funded schemes. Rather than copy other companies that target youth with free games and ringtones, Vodafone’s campaign aggressively is going after the enterprise market. Its offer caters to insurance resellers and pharmacists, providing both customer segments with free content from top publishers in their respective markets if they accept advertising. Insurance resellers receive ads and relevant free content from Dutch Insurance Network, and pharmacists receive a similar mix from a local healthcare publisher. Vodafone plans to extend this model to other target groups. Release.

In related news, Vodafone Germany has joined with DamilerChrysler to advertise the car new Mercedes C-Class car (aptly dubbed C - for yourself) on the Vodafone Live mobile portal. Users can check out the car on the portal and then – for a closer look – download a free client to their phones to see the inside and outside of the vehicle. The client also lets enthusiasts peruse technical information about the car and book a test drive. DaimlerChrysler is the fourth car maker (after Opel, VW and Volvo) to launch a mobile advertising campaign with Vodafone. Release.

Meanwhile, MediaPost provides some details on the Ford campaign launched last November for the Ford Edge crossover. The article reports more users viewed the promotional video clip on the mobile website than on the Internet site. Mobile marketing company Enpocket, which created the ongoing campaign, said in the article it has seen “hundreds of thousands of content downloads a week, including the video and Ford Edge screensavers.” The Edge mobile promotion is now being rolled out abroad in Europe, and possibly Asia and South America as well.

New Media Age reports off-portal sites belonging to British broadcaster ITV and the Ministry of Sound have introduced banner advertising onto their WAP sites, winning U.K. mobile operator O2 as an early customer. But both have now partnered with mobile ad agency 4th Screen Advertising.