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MediaWhiz acquires full ownership of AuctionAds

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AuctionAdsAfter acquiring TextLinkAds last November, MediaWhiz makes another acquisition of a popular online advertising network, AuctionAds.

Launched in March, AuctionAds has been providing contextual eBay auctions and paying out 100% eBay affiliate fees to publishers. AuctionAds have 20,000 publishers on their network to date. With this recent acquisition, Mediawhiz continues to deliver custom marketing programs for brand advertisers, direct marketers, and publishers.

MediaWhiz partly owned AuctionAds when it was first launched but has purchased full ownership from Shoemoney Media for an undisclosed price.

Originally posted on July 28, 2007 @ 12:54 am

AOL enters into agreement to acquire TACODA

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tacoda.jpgAOL announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire TACODA, an online behavioral targeting advertising network. TACODA will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL.

TACODA employs advanced technology that enables advertisers to serve highly relevant ads based on consumers’ online behaviors. Using TACODA’s technology, AOL will be able to extend its targeting capabilities to advertisers and publishers and extend the reach of its third-party display network, currently the largest in the U.S.

“The acquisition of TACODA will build on our advertising momentum, letting us better serve advertisers by enhancing our ability to precisely target advertisements across an even broader network,” said Ron Grant, AOL President and COO. “We are committed to bringing advertisers and publishers a full range of tools and services, along with the widest reach, and with TACODA we’re taking another step toward that goal.”

Originally posted on July 24, 2007 @ 10:38 am

adap.tv secures $10 million in funding to expand product offerings

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adap.tv, an online video advertising platform that allows publishers and advertisers to match relevant advertising with online video content, announced that it has closed a Series A funding round of $10 million from new investor Redpoint Ventures and existing investor Gemini Israel Funds, to enhance and expand the company’s product offerings, broaden recruitment efforts, and grow operations.

adap.tv’s advertising platform unlocks the value of the entire video by offering viewer-friendly advertising and message placement functionality that extends beyond pre- and post-roll advertising spots. Utilizing sophisticated algorithms that not only analyze video content and determine the most relevant ad, the company’s technology adapts in real time to viewer behavior, thereby increasing the success rates for publishers and advertisers alike.

“Securing funding from two of the finest investment firms validates the potential of our business,” said adap.tv CEO Amir Ashkenazi, formerly the co-founder and CTO of Shopping.com. “The validation and support we have received from the investment community is critical to building out adap.tv’s business and securing our leadership role in the online video advertising market.”

Originally posted on July 13, 2007 @ 10:15 am

Yahoo closes Right Media acquistion

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Yahoo announced today it had closed the acquisition of Right Media, an interactive advertising company which had developed an open exchange system for letting buyers and sellers trade digital media more efficiently. This acquisition was first announced at the end of April.

Yahoo’s move to acquire Right Media stems from its desire to grow its online advertising strategy. The acquisition follows Yahoo’s 20 percent strategic investment in Right Media in October 2006. Under the terms of the agreement, Yahoo has acquired the remaining equity interest in Right Media for approximately $650 million.

“We are pleased to have closed our Right Media acquisition so quickly and are excited to welcome Right Media’s talented employees to the Yahoo family,” said Jerry Yang, CEO and co-founder, Yahoo Inc. “We believe Right Media will be a perfect complement to our industry leading advertising tools and capabilities and help Yahoo continue to transform how advertisers and publishers connect to their target audiences.”

Originally posted on July 12, 2007 @ 7:31 pm

AdPerk rewards consumers for watching relevant online videos

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adperk1.jpgAdPerk, a new kind of advertising network that rewards consumers who view online video advertising and other forms of sponsored content, announced its launch.

Dwell Magazine is the first publisher to partner with AdPerk and is using the new network to grow its paid circulation. Consumers are invited to watch online video ads from a range of marketers in exchange for three free issues or a discounted annual subscription. The next magazine that will use AdPerk is Popular Science, scheduled to roll out next month.

Unlike pre-roll ads that are limited by the host site, AdPerk enables consumers to choose which companies’ ads and video content they wish to view and then watch them on their own time. By rewarding consumers for participating in the ad process and capturing their attention in a related environment, marketers gain a unique opportunity: the ability to reach a motivated and demographically relevant consumer who has chosen its ad over others and willingly taken the time to watch the ad. At the same time, the publisher is paid a real rate for issues of the magazine fulfilled by AdPerk. Advertisers currently in the AdPerk network include Duxiana, LG Electronics, Delta Faucet Company, Disney Mobile, Kleenex and others.

This new approach to advertising is premised on the idea that consumers should receive something for their time and attention. “It comes down to respect, user choice, benefit and relevance,” says Barry Soicher, CEO and co-founder. “We engage users at the right time and place and give them the control they’re looking for,” adds Soicher.

Originally posted on June 27, 2007 @ 5:19 am