WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. — With newspaper companies nationwide launching innovative ways to increase revenue and create new value, mobile marketing and technology provider Gumiyo has announced a venture with the Los Angeles Times to offer new online and mobile technology marketing solutions.

The mobile marketing initiative connects consumers with the Times' classified print and online automotive and real estate advertising. The new service was designed to allow in-market car shoppers and home buyers to use simple text messages and the Mobile Web to access detailed advertiser listings, photos and videos and view them on almost any modern mobile handset. As an added benefit, the platform also enables car shoppers to access complete, on-demand CARFAX vehicle history reports.

“This mobile marketing initiative gives consumers a fast and easy way to shop,” said Eric Larson, president of Gumiyo. “It turns traditional classified advertising into truly interactive media by giving consumers a way to directly engage the Times’ dealers, agents, or brokers listings anytime, while also allowing advertisers to reach thousands of busy, motivated buyers.”

The Los Angeles Times and latimes.com reach over 40 percent (1.3 million) of households in its designated marketing area (DMA). Latimes.com and its Internet marketing partner, Cars.com, receive more than 3 million unique visitors each month looking to purchase a new or used car, according to the companies.

“With this initiative, we can now offer infinite space for a rich-media, interactive user experience that can be uniquely combined with The Times local, time-sensitive ads,” said Ken Nail, director of automotive advertising for the Los Angeles Times. “Put simply, readers can get the best of both the print and interactive worlds and we see this as a great way of extending our advertisers’ reach to consumers on the go.”

Dealers and real estate agents can subscribe to the mobile marketing service for one low monthly fee that includes unique keywords, custom outgoing text messages and a branded mobile Website. Mobile Web pages for properties and vehicles are generated automatically from existing inventory data that include complete descriptions, photos, videos, vehicle and home reviews and CARFAX reports (automotive only). The plan was designed to allow dealerships and brokers that sign up for the new program to become “mobile-ready” and begin driving new business in less than a week.