• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, July 19, 2010

In an effort to demonstrate its unique value to marketers, About.com on Monday is expected to debut a broad, multichannel marketing campaign under the new tagline "Need. Know.Accomplish."

Slated to run through the end of the year, the branding campaign was designed to communicate About.com's increased relevance to marketers as they place more value on intent-driven users. "The idea is that About connects a brand's marketing message and product to users when they're seeking solutions the most -- in moments of need," explained Evan Minskoff, vice president of marketing at The New York Times Co.'s About Group.

Moreover, the new tagline is intended to express how intent-driven users employ About.com as a source for information that helps them address a need -- which, if all goes according to plan, is followed by accomplishment.

Designed in partnership with creative agency Gigantic, the campaign will run on out-of-home and digital advertising platforms for the duration of the year, including baseball stadiums, taxi tops, phone kiosks and more. The online component will run across most publications familiar to the marketing community, said Minskoff -- however, he wouldn't say which brands.

The campaign's ad executions present a series of moments in which a family of stenciled characters personify the range of needs that an About.com user encounters each day. "This is the first time in About's history that we've moved past photography to illustrated characters," said Minskoff.

Some of these needs are featured in over 30 individual creative concepts, ranging from "Lower my cholesterol" to "Find family beach activities."

In the first quarter of the year, About Group's ad revenue was up 30% year-over-year, while helped drive The Times Co.'s digital ad revenues up by 18%.

Despite those strong numbers and an audience of roughly 40 million monthly unique visitors, About Group is aggressively seeking ways to improve its revenue prospects.