Media buyers positive toward new AOL ad network
By Erina Lin, Wednesday 19 September 2007 at 23:00 :: Advertising :: #586 :: rss
With its recent focus on advertising, AOL has established a new division, called Platform A, for its ad networks, including Advertising.com and Tacoda.
AOL has named Curt Viebranz, former CEO of TACODA and a one-time Time Inc. executive, as the leader and the unit, which will reach an estimated 90 percent of Web users.
Platform A will encompass Advertising.com, the direct-response network AOL bought in 2004; Tacoda, the behavioral ad network acquired for $275 million; the video ad network, Lightningcast; Third Screen Media, a mobile ad network and AdTech AG, a global online ad-serving company.
Platform A will deliver “transparency and return on investment for our marketing partners,” said Randy Falco, chairman and CEO of AOL.
Besides Viebranz, Lynda Clarizio will continue to head up Advertising.com, and Kathy Kayse, senior vice president of sales at AOL Media Networks, will now take charge of AOL brand advertising. Dave Morgan will hold on to his position as chairman of TACODA, while Mike Kelly, president of AOL Media Networks, is leaving the company.
Media buyers reacted positively to the news, adding that AOL's recent string of ad network acquisitions would have been pointless without the eventual integration.
"It wouldn't have made sense otherwise," according to Steve Ustaris, group media director at Aegis Group's Carat Fusion. "This will make it much easier to manage inventory."
The move comes amid criticism of AOL from media buyers and a release about AOL’s ad growth slowdown from its parent company Time Warner.
"They've done a good job responding to sales leadership, and it's great to see them focusing their efforts in this area," Ed Montes, executive vice president and managing director of Media Contacts, a digital media agency owned by Havas, said in a Media Post report. "They very recently came to us with some interesting new products that combine several of their new ad networks."
In order to sell advertisers both performance-based and branding programs, AOL plans to have a single data platform that will offer the ability to target ads across its different network of businesses.
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