From Tapjoy to OpenFeint, service providers have been trying to monetise content in alternative ways.

Italian start-up social monetisation platform beintoo is also looking for a piece of the action, by providing an advertising opportunity for content developers.

And it's already worked out well for one of the biggest mobile titles ever: Halfbrick Studio's Fruit Ninja.

"Fruit Ninja is making money for many reasons, including that users are regularly buying in-app upgrades, actively downloading coupons towards other merchandise, and leaving advertisers very satisfied," says beintoo's CEO Antonio Tomarchio.

Rewards for all

Offering a similar approach to companies such as Tap.Me and Kiip, beintoo has its SDK available for the iOS and Android as well as JavaScript and PHP.

It offers real world vouchers, as well as virtual currency - called Bedollars - also including a Bescore reputation system and gifting options, which are tied into social and gameplay.

The goal, says Tomarchio, is to create "game mechanics that can be easily exploited by sponsors".

For example, create a FPS in beintoo and you can have a special gun sponsored by a company interested in the FPS-playing demographic.

It is of little-to-no cost to the player, and the company gets exposure.

Looking ahead

Around a year old, the company says it hopes to wrap up its seed funding in the UK by the end of October.

Advertiser interest will definitely help bring in more money, as Tomarchio says it has completed or nearly completed deals from McDonalds, Proctor & Gamble, and H & M.

And with Fruit Ninja and dozens of other titles signed up, beintoo has 12 million users with 200,000 added daily.

Tomachio expects there to be another big title, to be announced in November that will take beintoo’s numbers even higher.

Getting out the news

But for now, beintoo is focusing on getting more developers aboard, with a Unity plug-in enabled, offering more user rewards, and a new office in the US.

"We’d like to become the Mobclix for the next generation of games," Tomachio says, referring to the NASDAQ-floated mobile ad network, in terms of his longterm goal.

You can find out about its services via its website, or check out the video below.