Publicis Groupe has said that it is making a $15 million strategic investment in Jana Mobile, the global company that rewards consumer action in emerging markets such as Brazil, India, Indonesia and Nigeria.
 
This is the first direct investment Publicis Groupe has made in a mobile technology startup, and as part of the $15 million investment, Publicis Groupe Charmain and CEO Maurice Lévy will join Jana’s Board of Directors. Rishad Tobaccowala, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer of VivaKi, will join Jana’s Board of Advisors.
 
Based in Boston, Jana has built the world's largest rewards platform in the fastest-growing markets, where mobile airtime is often viewed as equivalent to cash. By integrating into the billing systems of 237 mobile operators in 102 countries, Jana can instantly reward 3.48 billion emerging market consumers with prepaid airtime in local currency.
 
 Many global corporations are already using Jana to understand, acquire, and retain emerging market consumers. Jana's airtime platform rewards such consumer actions as trial (registration, app downloads), engagement (watching a video), advocacy (referring a friend), and product purchase (airtime rebates). With every action that it rewards, Jana delivers rich consumer insights to participating marketers.
 
“I have been personally attracted and convinced to invest directly in this platform as I see it as the next big thing in the communication industry. Consumers in these dynamic markets are spending 10 percent of their daily income on mobile airtime, while global advertisers are spending more than $150 billion to reach them through traditional advertising channels,” said Maurice Lévy.

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