• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, April 3, 2008

Verizon Wireless has struck a deal with Millennial Media to sell ad inventory on its mobile Web portal through Millennial's mobile ad network.

Millennial will share responsibility for ad sales on the Verizon deck with the carrier's internal sales force and AOL's Third Screen Media mobile ad network.

The company's youth-targeted mobile platform is geared toward reaching so-called millennials--the 76 million people born between 1977 and 1995. Millennial operates separate mobile networks for targeted brand advertising and performance-based campaigns.

Verizon's advertising would be handled through both its MBrand and Decktrade networks, but skew toward premium placements, according to Eric Eller, senior vice president of products and marketing for Millennial. The inventory will consist mainly of banners within specific content channels on the Verizon deck.

Verizon advertisers have included Bank of America, Bose, Burger King and Ford.

While not expected to dramatically boost Millennial's sales, the Verizon deal will give the company a prominent new partner. "It provides some level of clarity to the brands we talk to," Eller said. "It's much easier to understand mobile advertising when someone sees an ad on the Verizon deck instead of having to type a URL into the phone."

In February, Millennial added MLB.com to a publisher lineup that already includes properties such as MySpace, RottenTomatoes, CBS Sports and NHL.com.