Los Angeles-based Lexico Publishing Group LLC has hired JSM+ Communications as its first agency-of-
record for its Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com sites. Billings were estimated
at $3 million to $5 million.
“Lexico is the kind of account that we covet,” said Scott Daly, executive vice
president at Santa Monica, CA-based JSM. “They’re entrepreneurial, growth-
oriented and they afford us the opportunity to create a world class brand from
scratch.”
JSM will develop an awareness campaign for the two sites and said it is
considering everything from traditional advertising to online strategic
alliances.
In addition to being a daily destination for students, teachers and librarians
everywhere, the sites want to be known as the trusted authority online for up-
to-date definitions of words in technical fields, particularly computers and
the Internet, high finance and the law.
“We were aware of the new media capabilities at JSM”, said Lexico Publisher
Brian Kariger. “However, their successful partnership with Canon and the
commitment of senior management to our account convinced us that this was the
right decision.” Canon’s business has grown from $150 million to $1.5 billion
on JSM’s watch.
Lexico Publishing Group is a provider of language reference tools on the
Internet, including the Dictionary.com English Dictionary and
directory of Internet reference sites, and Roget’s Thesaurus of English Words
and Phrases at Thesaurus.com.
Founded in 1992 by partners Jim Sieminski (account), Scott Daly (media) and
Mark Patton (creative), JSM is a full-service advertising agency with billings
of $45 million. Clients include Canon Computer Systems, Canon U.S.A., Canon
Software Publishing, Power Lift Corp., DreamWorks Interactive and Interactive
Health. Also contained within JSM Communications is The New Media Lab, one of
Los Angeles’ first agency-based Internet site development groups.