WinStar Interactive Unveils ‘New Model’ For Online Ad Sales

WinStar Interactive in New York
City, the online ad sales subsidiary of WinStar New Media, launched what it
calls a new model for online advertising sales.

Under this new approach, WinStar Interactive said it will represent a select
list of large, branded Web properties across a combination of sponsorship
packages, anchor tenant, e-commerce and other business partnership programs,
content syndication sales and traditional ad banner sales.

WinStar Interactive said its model breaks away from “the industry trend”
toward large ad sales networks that package their sites and derive most of
their business from banner sales. The firm said it opened offices in
San Francisco and Detroit, and expanded the New York staff to support the
effort.

WinStar Interactive signed Bloomberg Web Networks, Music Boulevard,
Intellicast, PGA Tour, BizTravel, Student.com and Inc. Online.

Publishing and online veteran Bobbie Halfin was named president of
WinStar Interactive to lead its expansion.

“WinStar New Media is building on the strengths of our traditional businesses to support a steady
move into new media,” said Stuart B. Rekant, president of WinStar New Media. “In that context, WinStar Interactive’s expansion of its online advertising
sales activities is a natural outgrowth of New Media’s successful radio ad
sales business. Bobbie’s leadership work in the interactive arena will be
invaluable to us as WinStar New Media takes advantage of the emerging business
opportunities in the online community.”

While praising the work done by the ad sales networks, Halfin noted, “Our own
relationships with large Web publishers over the past months have led us to
develop a model that reflects unfulfilled needs in the industry. We promote
our clients, develop marketing programs like anchor tenant partnerships and
content syndication sales,
in addition to orchestrating banner and sponsorship ad sales.”

Halfin comes from ADSmart Corp., where she was vice president of sales. Before
that, she was a senior publishing executive for publications including Sassy
Magazine, Parade
Magazine, Rolling Stone, Glamour and McCall’s.