I was surprised to find this, as I was browsing a site the other day. I was looking for some help on PHP and came across this ad for SQL Server 2008.

“Hardness the power of the data explosion!” reads the ad. Followed by a prompt to text ‘SQL’ to 88882 for a free mobile screensaver.

Standard rates apply, it says.

Pretty neat as I was browsing on a US-centric site. So the ad-engine had, I assume, geolocated me and severed me a UK ad. 88882 looks like a UK shortcode.

I wonder how many people have got their handset out whilst browsing to do this. I’d genuinely be interested in the stats. I also wonder how Microsoft have deployed this campaign. What happens? Do I get a download link back? From what site?

Let’s find out.

I’ve just sent SQL to that shortcode.

Ah hah.

I clicked the SQL08.mobi link…

I am now the proud owner of an SQL screensaver:

Tah dah.

A well executed mobile advertising delivery system. If it was me running it, I’d have sent the user to a mobile web site at sql08.mobi — with a bit of info about the software and the like, but with a big fat ‘download your screensaver here’ link as well.