When Apple announced its new iAds mobile advertising network for the iPhone and iPad ,Steve Jobs promised features that “cannot be duplicated" by any competitor. It turns out that one of those unique features is your iTunes purchase data.
An emailed sales pitch from a sales rep from Quattro (a mobile ad network recently purchased by Apple) obtained by TechCrunch refers to a “new program launching this month called ViP (Verification of iTunes Purchase)". The programs ties iPhone and iPad ads in apps directly to your purchasing data from iTunes where than can learn, among other things, the conversion rate of ad impressions to downloads via a “proprietary direct link from the ad to App Store".
Using personal data to refine how ads are delivered is not new, and right now iAds VIP is designed to help developers sell more apps. But any ad program that offers “a proprietary direct link" direct to your iTune's purchase data has huge implications for both fans and music marketers.
