This week brought another
Internet and mobile audio deal: TargetSpot will now be the exclusive provider of audio ad service for Aha Mobile. The deal allows TargetSpot to incorporate ads targeted to GPS data into Aha's
on-demand, interactive mobile media service for drivers.
Based in Palo Alto and backed by Venrock, Aha Mobile is working to import Web-based audio to automobiles through smartphone
apps, allowing drivers to safely consume (and create) interactive content.
It does this by delivering a variety of text-based content converted into audio form, including Facebook newsfeeds and
tweets along with personalized audio content such as traffic reports, local and national news and podcasts. GPS data allows Aha Radio to deliver contextually relevant content based on the user's
location.
TargetSpot CEO Eyal Goldwerger stated: "Internet radio is rapidly moving to the car, and we allow advertisers to effectively follow the consumer. Our advertisers can now deploy both
multiformat as well as cross-platform campaigns, following target audiences from the desktop at work, to the mobile phone in the car, the gym, or at home."
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Over the last year, TargetSpot has
signed up Emmis Radio, Tribune Broadcasting, Inner City Broadcast Corporation's ICBC Broadcast Holdings, Lincoln Financial Media, AOL Radio, Entercom, Cox Media, CBS Radio, which owns Last.fm, and
Harpo Radio, the radio platform created by Oprah Winfrey.
The new affiliates have been matched by new capabilities added through acquisitions and partnerships.
In September 2009,
TargetSpot announced the launch of a new proprietary response tracking and reporting system for online radio ads: TargetSpot Analytics. In October, it acquired Ronning Lipset Radio, creating what it
said was the country's largest online radio ad network. And in March, it unveiled a new mobile ad service as well as a partnership with Slacker, an online music service that has apps for iPhones,
BlackBerry smartphones, and the new Android service from Google.