USA Today takes the wraps of a new service this week that combines information and mobile advertising, allowing the company and its partners to insert ads in text alerts. Users can sign up to receive the usual mix of text alerts (news, sports scores, stock quotes, weather, gossip, movies, travel etc…) for free by texting a short code conveniently plugged in the daily newspaper. Using this content to lure users, USA Today cashes in on its traffic by inserting a “small ad offering related benefits or special offers.” Advertisers can also deliver coupons and contest entries, collect email addresses, conduct polls and provide directions to the nearest store or physical location. Users, in turn, can reply to the ad via text for more information. (Release)

AdWeek reports the service – which combines print and interactive ads in text messages – has already signed up Citibank, Chevrolet and Microsoft. (Chevrolet sponsors the sports news, so every text will include an ad from the company with the option to get more information as well as directions to the nearest dealer. Citibank ads will appear next to text messages about stock prices, for example. Users can then text for details about their balances or the location of the nearest ATMs.) Zaw Thet, 4INFO founder and CEO, (and the provider behind the SMS/text publishing platform) is quoted as saying that the response rate to interactive mobile ads is in the 15-20 percent range.

• 4INFO Starts Advertising In Its SMS Search Service
• USAToday.com WAP Site
• 4INFO Placement Begins In USA TODAY