Adify launches
Om Makik has the scoop on the launch of Adify, a new sell-side advertising platform which aims to create networks - or verticals or channels, take your pick - and give publishers (like bloggers) more control over the ads on their sites.
The sell-side space is heating up, with established players like John Battelle's FM Publishing, 9Rules and coming beta of FeedBurner's Networks. (More on FeedBurner in my next post.)
The two founders, Larry Braitman and Richard Thompson, are no strangers to the ad-network business, having built Flycast Communications in the mid-90s. They have a new blog.
The Flycast duo have developed an online advertising platform that puts publishers in charge, giving them tighter control over their ad-inventory. Typical online advertising network is essentially a way to monetize publishers’ unsold ad space. The advertisers and publishers have very little control. Hence, the need for Adify.
The company, which is expected to launch on Monday has also raised $8 million in Series A funding led by leading venture capital firm Venrock Associates.
In order to get traction with some of the smaller publishers, the company has come up with highly vertical advertising networks, that match advertisers and publishers more effectively.
Om likes the idea of connecting niche communities to potential advertisers, but he wonders if enough advertisers will use the network to make it worthwhile. He writes, "That is the make or break issue, not only for Adify, but anyone with online advertising ambitions."
He's right.
It will be interesting to see which major brands or large agencies decide to trial the service. Smart planners and strategists could do worse than to test it out.
Technorati Tags: advertising, sellside, networks, startups, adify
Monday, August 07, 2006
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