MediaMetrix Executive Jumps Ship to Ad Marketplace Start-Up

Media Metrix (MMXI) executive vice president Jim D’Arcangelo on Tuesday left to take a
management job at Media Market
Makers, a start-up that’s developing an open marketplace for buying,
selling and planning Internet advertising.

So far, the new company isn’t divulging much about its plans, but it’s
expected to announce its launch in April.

What is known is that the company has ties to ad giant McCann-Erickson. The domain name,
MediaMarketMakers.com is registered to McCann-Erickson Worldwide, and the
start-up has said that McCann-Erickson has agreed to offer Media Market
Makers services to clients of its member agencies. MediaMarketMakers.com
may even be a newly-spawned division of the ad company. McCann-Erickson is
part of the Interpublic Group of
Companies (IPG).

The advertising marketplace business has been heating up in recent weeks,
as Media Market Makers made its stealth debut and AdFlight got $8.25 million in funding
for its Internet ad space exchange. Investors in AdFlight include Sierra Ventures, Sienna Holdings, Cooley Godward LLP, and Synergy Ventures, Inc. AdFlight
is expected to re-launch its efforts on March 22.

“We are well-positioned for a focused, aggressive roll-out of AdFlight’s
unique Internet advertising marketplace,” said Albert Lopez, co-founder and
chief executive officer of AdFlight.