• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, February 27, 2012

Buddy Media Monday announced acquiring London-based Brighter Options to enhance its suite of social media marketing tools. The startup’s social ad management software allows marketers and agencies to create and track targeted Facebook advertising campaigns.

The acquisition in particular is meant to bolster Buddy Media’s offerings in the area of paid advertising in social media.

“We realized about six months ago that we needed a paid ad solution tightly integrated with our software suite to increase and accelerate the value of the earned and owned media distribution our customers love,” said Buddy Media CEO Mike Lazerow, in a blog post today.

In connection with the deal, the company has also struck an agreement with WPP marketing technology unit 24/7 Real Media, to use Brighter Option’s social ad management software to power Facebook ads for its clients worldwide. Brighter Option’s ad tools are already being used by ad agencies including many agencies including GroupM, Omnicom and Aegis. Facebook had advertising revenue of $3.2 billion in 2011.

Buddy Media said Brighter Options full staff will join its London office, increasing the sze of the branch to 30 employees. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.