Chicago-based Morningstar.Net said it has developed a
new advertising alternative on its Quicktake Report pages.
Mutual fund companies can now purchase sponsorship links on each of their
funds’ Reports that connect directly to their Web sites. Morningstar said
mutual-fund companies now can reach potential customers when their attention
is most concentrated.
“It truly maximizes the point-of-purchase direct marketing concept,” said
Carolyn Messite, product manager of Morningstar.Net. “As consumers are
involved
in researching–and are thinking about investing in–a mutual fund, they
can
essentially reach through our Quicktakes to act on it.”
The Quicktake Reports detail the risk and return profile, manager profile,
performance, and market data on more than 450 closed-end and 8,000 open-end
mutual funds, and 7,500 stocks. The cost for fund companies to acquire an
editorial link to their Web sites is $100 per fund, per month. More than a
dozen fund companies have already signed up for the service, including T. Rowe
Price Associates, Strong Funds, Montgomery Funds, and Payden & Rygel Funds.