MUMBAI: Indian phone manufacturer Micromax is offering consumers the chance to get paid for watching ads on its latest model.

The phone is preloaded with an app which allows users to earn points for every ad they view to the end, which are then converted into currency and credited to their accounts.

And, unlike previous forays into this territory, the service will operate across all telecoms operators. Girish Trivedi, co-founder of Monk Consulting told the Economic Times that the initiative was helping to shift the conversation to apps, currently the focus of much attention. It was especially pertinent, he suggested, at a time when app developers were seeking ways to monetise their products.

"This is an attempt to create a win-win for the entire mobile ecosystem," declared Shubhodip Pal, CMO, Micromax, as the service would offer a high engagement communication channel for brands, which would be able to profile consumers, generate consumption patterns and indulge in proximity marketing, while telecoms operators could increase the average revenue per user.

Samyak Chakrabarty, chief youth marketer at DDB Mudra Group, thought the idea had potential among the young "especially because it incentivises consumption of content".

He suggested there was greater chance of consumers engaging with an ad viewed this way than, for example, YouTube, where ads could easily be skipped as there was no tangible benefit at the end.

The marketing campaign for the product has been conceived as a tribute to the world of Indian advertising, showing moments when people recall past ads.

Data sourced from Economic Times; additional content by Warc staff