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MEMBER NEWS: DRG.ie (Digital Reach Group) launches with major international backing from Mobile Interactive Group

24 September 2009

DRG.ie, an Irish-owned specialist in the rapidly emerging mobile Internet economy, announced plans at its official launch today by Communications Minister Eamon Ryan to create at least 20 high-tech jobs in Dublin as it rolls out a range of services for this rapidly developing market. The company also unveiled a significant investment from integrated mobile and digital communications business, Mobile Interactive Group ( MIG ), the fastest-growing technology company in the UK last year.

DRG.ie will create a number of companies to service the multi-faceted mobile Internet sector. The first of these is Adforce, which provides a single point of contact for advertisers who want to market their products to mobile Internet users. The company is working with such prestigious clients as RTÉ, Bebo and Vodafone.

"We have every intention of being at the forefront of the smart economy and with this will come jobs," said managing director, Colm Grealy. "Internet usage on mobile devices is growing at a phenomenal rate and this provides new opportunities to commercialise this shift."

More than two-thirds of the population now regard themselves as Internet users, according to a comprehensive survey conducted for Comreg in July 2009 by MillwardBrown Lansdowne. The survey also found that almost one in five people in Ireland were already using mobile devices to access the Internet. With mobile ownership in Ireland running at more than 100% and all new handsets now Internet-enabled, this figure is likely to increase exponentially over the next few years.

Social networking sites, for example, are seeing a rapid rise in mobile access. In August 2009 alone, Facebook counted 65m visitors accessing the site from mobile phones worldwide - a dramatic increase from last December's figure of 20m.

"The sites of network operators, information content providers and social media are growing in popularity," Grealy said. "These mobile pioneers are leading the way that others will surely follow very quickly as they realise the potential gains from mobile."

The management team's extensive experience in the areas of Internet, mobile marketing and new media has attracted equity and technology investment from MIG ( www.migcan.com ). The company topped of the Sunday Times' Tech Track 100 index in 2008, which ranks Britain's fastest-growing private tech companies based on sales growth over the previous three years.

Barry Houlihan, MIG's chief executive and founder, described the investment in DRG.ie as "a massive vote of confidence in the management team and what it will achieve in Ireland".

"MIG’s significant technology expertise in mobile advertising will ensure that the Adforce business grows quickly into Ireland’s leading mobile advertising business," he said. "Adforce has had huge success already winning exclusive contracts and its management team will be working closely with our UK market leading mobile advertising agency 4th Screen to develop existing commercial, brand and agency relationships to drive the growth of mobile advertising in the Irish market."