AdKnowledge Delivers Automated Web Ad Product

AdKnowledge Inc. rolled out MarketMatch Pro, calling it a complete Web campaign management solution for ad agencies and advertisers.

MarketMatch Pro is a suite of three fully integrated product modules: Planner, a third generation upgrade to MarketMatch, which provides a solution for researching and planning online media campaigns; Campaign Manager, for trafficking, reporting and post-buy analysis of media campaigns as well as one-to-one database marketing; and Administrator, which integrates Web ad buy data and performance analysis with agencies’ existing accounting and billing systems.

AdKnowledge is the company formed by the recent merger of ClickOver and Focalink Communications. Its new product would appear to be a competitor to I/PRO’s Dispatch.

MarketMatch Pro goes beyond the “point solution” approach of current media planning and campaign management products by centralizing planning, buying, trafficking, performance reporting and post-buy analysis, the company said. It will integrate seamlessly with SmartBanner, the independent central ad management service, as well as other agency systems, providing agencies and advertisers with the means to gain complete control of the Web media process.

“MarketMatch Pro is the first complete Web media system to help agencies better service their clients by enabling media departments to spend less time on drudgery and more time on creativity and getting results,” said Scott Kauffman, president and CEO of AdKnowledge.

“By integrating the two leading Web media management solutions–MarketMatch and SmartBanner–AdKnowledge is providing agencies and advertisers the ability to roll out campaigns faster, while tightening the critical feedback loop between ad planning, traffic management, ad serving and post-buy campaign performance analysis.”

The Planner module of MarketMatch Pro, which now covers more than 1,000 Web sites, builds upon the media research and planning capabilities of the previous version of MarketMatch. Planner includes syndicated market research from MRI and Simmons for mutual customers.

“Web media planners have been clamoring for more, independent research data from respected industry sources,” said Karen Franco, director of product management at Palo Alto, CA-based AdKnowledge. “The availability of Internet demographic and purchase behavior data from MRI and Simmons is a clear indication that the Web is maturing into a mainstream advertising medium.”

Planner enables media professionals to better determine the optimum sites for a campaign. In addition to being able to search on the criteria of target audience demographics from Media Metrix, psychographics from SRI Consulting, and interests from NetGuide, customers can now also specify ad technology type supported, ad size and CPM.

Planner offers media departments a way to share data by using the Buy Worksheet feature, which provides a centralized location where users can record and access ad purchase and performance data, and export information for clients.

With Campaign Manager, insertion orders can be created online and sent directly to Web sites and to SmartBanner for instant trafficking. This simplifies communication with Web sites and eliminates the need to re-input buy information into SmartBanner or other agency systems, the company said.

MarketMatch Administrator will provide back office integration with agencies’ existing accounting and billing systems, completing the Web advertising campaign management process.

MarketMatch Planner will be offered on an annual subscription basis starting at $7,900 at the end of February, directly from AdKnowledge. Campaign Manager, including insertion orders and communication with SmartBanner, will be available in the second quarter of this year. Administrator is expected to be available in the third quarter of this year. Pricing information for Campaign Manager and Administrator will be available at a later date.