• June 30, 2009

Instant messaging platform Meebo Tuesday announced that Toyota is the first marketer to run advertising across its network of Web publishing partners. Announced in March, the network now consists of 85 Web sites reaching more than 100 million unique monthly users, which agreed to begin running Meebo's ad units.

With 40 of the 85 sites adding the Meebo browser so far, the network reaches an audience of 50 million. That total is expected to double to 100 million when all partners, which include IGN.com, CafeMom, myYearbook and Piczo, have integrated Meebo.

The company's "brand showcase" ad unit, or Meebo Bar, expands into a 900 x 400 overlay ad where users interact with a marketer's content--including video, applications, games, quizzes or interactive microsites. Meebo says the unit delivers ten times the click rates on typical ads on social media sites and that users average more than a minute with ad content.

Toyota is using the format to promote the third-generation Prius in its "Harmony Between Man, Nature and Machine" campaign that began in May. AT&T has will be among the next major marketers to advertise on the network, according to Meebo. Meebo also said it will offer ads on a cost-per-engagement (CPE), as well as a CPM basis, requiring marketers to pay only when someone interacts with their ads.

Meebo.com encompasses multiple social networking and IM services, including AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger and Facebook in a single browser that allows users to connect with friends through a variety of social media and chat services. --Mark Walsh