Emotive pockets cash for “Push Ringers”

Some high-profile investors are wagering on Emotive Communications Inc. and its “Push Ringer.”
The Encino, Calif.-based company said it pocketed $7.7 million in a funding round from Warner Music Group, Bertelsmann Digital Investments, the D.E. Shaw group and undisclosed angel investors. Emotive said it will use the cash to push its flagship product, which allows a mobile caller to temporarily override the ringtone of the person being called with another tune.
Ringers can feature audio, video, animations, avatars or Flash files, and the person being called can choose to instantly purchase the media clip. Emotive claims Push Ringers have been installed by more than 800,000 Skype users since its launch on the network in 2006. The firm is unveiling its mobile prototype of the technology at the IMS World Forum in Monaco next week.
“Consumers are influenced by their peers,” said Emotive CEO Anthony Stonefield. “We are creating the ultimate word-of-mouth network, literally by inserting music and video into the initiation of a phone call.”