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Verisign ringtone ambitions swallow themselves with Crazy Frog backlash

Verisign owns Crazy Frog. Verisign has been talking about its financial results, and seems to have persuaded the usual financial markets that all is well.

Forbes wrote: "The firm noted that potential upside in Jamba from U.S. carrier relationships (with Sprint Nextel in beta, and Verizon Wireless speculated by year-end), another hit such as "crazy frog," or holiday demand could provide upside to its current estimates for Verisign while the near-term impact of a more restrictive regulatory environment could dampen growth rates."

Could dampen growth rates? Yeah, just a bit.

Verisign owns Crazy Frog, through its acquisition of ringtone provider, Jamba! Group - which bought up vast amounts of Euro TV advertising selling the Frog to youth markets. It was a success, but not unqualified.

Ask Andrew Orlowski at The Register: "Jamster didn't make clear that the youth market being targeted was unwittingly being sold a subscription service, rather than a one-off download. The result was a predictable explosion in revenues, and an equally predictable backlash. Last week the British advertisers' self-regulator, the ASA, banished the loathsome reptile from appearing on the nation's TV sets before 9pm."

And the frog lost its willy, too!