Mobile ad network BuzzCity says the increasing prevalence of smartphones in major markets is helping expand its platform, with the company touting "tremendous growth" in Q1 2012.

The firm claims growth across the ad network as a whole is up 95 percent compared to the same period in 2011, with operations in the UK, South Africa, Kenya, Pakistan, Argentina and Nigeria serving as particular highlights.

Going global

In all, BuzzCity served more than 45 billion ad banners during the quarter, across more than 10,000 publisher sites.



Said ads were pushed at what the company claims was an average of 300 million unique users per month.

Smart movers

All such growth has come in part thanks to the "rise of the smartphone", BuzzCity claims, with handsets from Apple, BlackBerry, Samsung and HTC the top performers on the ad network when it comes to growth.

It's a factor CEO Dr. KF Lai doesn't see going away any time soon.

"Smartphones and the functionality that they bring enhance consumers' lifestyles and fulfil their desire to stay connected whatever they are doing, whenever they are doing it – messaging, shopping, updating and sharing on social networks or making calls," said Lai.

"What marketers need to take advantage of is how they can engage with their target consumer, as mobile as a channel is a multiple touch point for engagement."

Specifically in the UK, BuzzCity reports mobile advertising grew by 157 percent across the past year, up 23 percent in Q1 2012 alone.

You can download the firm's latest mobile ad sweep from BuzzCity's report website.

[source: BuzzCity]