Undertone Helps Publishers Scale Audience

Premium ad network Undertone Networks on Monday is expected to launch a service to help publishers reach prized audiences beyond their site's borders. The point of U360 AudiencePlus, so-called, is to further endear publishers to their ad partners.

"Publishers can now go to market with new products that will drive significantly more scale, reach and revenue," said Eric Franchi, SVP of business development at Undertone. "While some publishers are limited by their own available inventory on-site, they don't have to limit their potential profit."

Undertone's U360 service hand-acquires its inventory, and claims to works with only quality, professionally produced Web sites. U360 publishers also receive AudiencePlus Program Management, which includes customized products, training and ongoing campaign implementation.

A&E Television Networks, which sells inventory for its own site as well as Biography.com and History.com, is one publisher that is now using U360.

Founded in 2002, New York-based Undertone operates an ad network with partners including ABC Family Channel and Discovery Communications. It currently has offices in seven major U.S. media markets.

A division of Intercept Interactive, Undertone has aspirations as a full-service interactive media and marketing firm. Pursuing growth at home and abroad, Undertone early last year received an investment in the range of $40 million to $100 million from JMI Equity.

In 2007, it launched a search engine marketing and search engine optimization practice, dubbed Undertone Search. The pay-per-click SEM offering encompasses ads on all major search engines, including Google, Yahoo, MSN and Ask.com, and is a fully managed service with Undertone reps managing planning, keyword identification, bid management, tracking and reporting.

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