In October, 180solutions acquired Full Armor Studios, a downloadable games development firm that produces Zango Games, a component of the adware provider's Zango software. 180solutions offers users access to a wide range of content--screensavers, search bars, and movie and music utilities--in exchange for users' agreement to allow 180solutions to install Zango software on their computers.
180solutions redirects users to the actual Web pages of its advertisers in a separate pop-up browser window when users request further info about goods and services online. The company serves pop-ups two or three times during an average browsing session, said Todd Sawicki, senior director of marketing at 180solutions, an ad-supported software provider and Zango's parent company.
"We prefer the term 'sponsorware' to adware," Sawicki said. "We're definitely not talking about 'advergaming' here, and we don't interrupt users when they're playing."
Advertisers amount to about 6,000--and fall into various categories, including travel, insurance, e-commerce, and finance. "Our business model is no different from NBC's, really," said Sawicki. "We're both trying to offer the most interesting content possible in exchange for people's consideration of our advertisers."
Separately, on Tuesday 180solutions announced the addition of more than 10 partners to its Zango Network. More than 30 Web publishers have joined Zango since its inception earlier this year. Partners receive revenue generated from the "Zango Search Assistant," which delivers advertisers' Web sites to users when they search and shop online.