24/7 Real Media U.K. Wins New iTV Contract
Real Media Europe, a unit of 24/7 Real Media has closed a new ad serving deal with
NTL, the largest cable company in the United Kingdom and one of the major players in interactive TV.
As a result of the two-year deal, NTL will use 24/7 Real Media’s Open AdStream ad serving software on
its Digital TV platform, which includes interactive TV, electronic program guides, games and e-mail. The
service has about one million subscribers in the U.K.
“Open AdStream brings significant value to platform operators seeking to unify the advertising sales and
delivery processes across numerous interactive channels,” said John Piccone, director of technology sales
at Real Media Europe. “We look forward to working with NTL on innovative digital TV advertising projects.”
The move boosts 24/7’s client roster in the interactive TV arena. Currently, it serves Pace Micro
Technologies, a set-top box technology provider, in the U.K. as well.
Interep Lands Wireless, Big Brand Deals
Interep Interactive’s Winstar Interactive Media and Perfect Circle Media continue to add to their string
of ad representation wins.
The two units of New York-based Interep are expected to soon announce that they’ve
signed a deal to represent SMS text messaging inventory in the U.S., through a deal with Adversoft. Almost
100 million domestic mobile phone users can receive SMS, the companies said.
Winstar also will represent online travel site Expedia .
It also won representation duties for Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment sites, including Sony
Pictures, Soap City, video sharing site Screenblast, DawsonsCreek.com, and gaming site TheStation.com.
The news follows other recent wins. Earlier this month, Winstar agreed to represent the Nasdaq Stock
Market’s Nasdaq.com for national sales. In July, the company took on sales duties for DrPhil.com, the
companion Web site to the upcoming “Dr. Phil” syndicated TV series due to launch next month from Oprah
Winfrey’s Harpo Productions.
A month earlier, the company signed a deal to represent StreamCast Networks’ controversial peer-to-peer
application Morpheus and its MusicCity.com portal to national advertisers.
Eyeblaster, EyeWonder in Streaming Video Deal
A deal between Eyeblaster and EyeWonder will see streaming video integrated into new rich media ad
formats.
The agreement links New York-based Eyeblaster’s rich media ad formats and management ASP with
Atlanta-based EyeWonder’s Java-based streaming video format.
In addition to enabling agencies, advertisers and publishers to traffic streaming video as part of
Eyeblaster’s platform, the agreement also will see EyeWonder video ads being integrated into floating
“takeover” ads and interstitial formats.
“The Eyeblaster platform was designed to support emerging content formats, including streaming media,”
says Gal Trifon, CEO of Eyeblaster. “We’re pleased to add support for EyeWonder and to provide our agency
and publisher clients with an easier way to create and manage streaming video advertising through the
Eyeblaster platform.”
The EyeWonder video technology precludes the need for a standalone media player or plugin, and, unlike
cached video formats, the ads can begin playing immediately even to dialup users.
