24/7 Media to Offer Geographic Tracking

Ad network and technology company 24/7 Media Monday will offer its clients the ability to target ads geographically, through a deal announced Monday with Digital Envoy.

The agreement effectively makes 24/7 one of the first ad networks to offer targeting by region. Using Atlanta-based Digital Envoy’s patent-pending technology NetAcuity, the company can offer its network advertisers the ability to target users down to a country, state or city level, or by ISP. That targeting will occur on top of the company’s existing profile-based ad serving capabilities.

“We are very excited to be chosen to supply 24/7 Media with our NetAcuity geographic targeting technology,” Dave Schindler, vice president of business development for Digital Envoy. “Demand for this technology is growing rapidly and 24/7 Media will be able to meet this demand with global coverage and high accuracy while protecting the privacy of its clients’ customers.”

Silicon Alley-based 24/7 will also offer to bundle NetAcuity into its technology products, allowing licensees to deliver their own geographically targeted campaigns.

“This agreement with Digital Envoy gives us a competitive advantage in the industry by allowing us to globally target users by country, region and city in a highly reliable manner,” said Vivienne Dacey, senior vice president and general manager for the company’s technology unit, 24/7 Connect. “Utilizing Digital Envoy’s industry-leading NetAcuity product, we will better serve our clients who desire to reach local audiences with regionally specific advertising.”

Digital Envoy also is quick to add that its product works without the use of cookies, which 24/7 and many other ad-targeting firms use to deliver banners and to build anonymous profile databases.

While the geographic targeting will occur on top of any profile-based ad serving, the companies could not confirm whether 24/7 plans to add data gleaned from NetAcuity to its anonymous profile database. Spokespeople from 24/7 Media did not return phone calls by press time.