• by Wayne Friedman , January 27, 2009

MediaBank, the rebel software system upstart for media planners and buyers, has struck a major deal to integrate its systems with Google's growing TV Ad platform--a radical media-buying system in its own right.

"Our integration with Google TV Ads not only advances the adoption of its digital platform, but improves the ability to analyze programs, which is more important than ever," Brad Keywell, co-founder of MediaBank, said in a release. "As advertisers increasingly demand more precise metrics, this integration will help MediaBank clients make better business decisions."

MediaBank, which has a deal with major media buyer Starcom MediaVest Group and other media-buying agencies, has emerged as the central challenger to the dominance of long-time industry stalwart Donovan Data Systems. The industry is pegged to bring in some $200 million in deals.

Google TV Ads already sells ad inventory for a number of TV networks and distributors: NBC Universal cable networks, Dish Network, Hallmark Channel, Bloomberg Television and others. In many of these deals, Google sells remnant or other hard-to-sell TV commercials. Because of its deal with Dish, Google TV Ads can report second-by-second data from millions of set-top-boxes.

Through Google, advertisers buy ads through an auction-based price system and pay only for impressions delivered by their ads. A report is generated from Google to determine how many people the ad reached within 24 hours of airing.

Advertisers using Google TV Ads launch their buys directly from their Google Ad Words accounts. They can target campaigns by markets, networks, dayparts, specific programs, and even program content, such as "fashion" or "health."

MediaBank says its open design works for advertisers' growing, ever-changing needs. In a release, Gordon Cohen, senior vice president of technology of MediaBank, said: "We've positioned ourselves for the future as the only system in the industry that allows for seamless integration of multiple data sources through an open architecture."

MediaBank's systems can handle a complete ad-buying process for print, radio, TV and digital. The company processes transactions valued at more than $20 billion annually.