Blinkx Taps MIVA For Contextual Ads

In an effort to monetize its growing video search suite, blinkx today is expected to announce a global partnership deal with the sponsored links provider MIVA. Formally known as FindWhat, MIVA is the first partner to provide ads for blinkx's new Smart Ads Platform, which will allow the video search startup to deliver contextually targeted advertising to users.

"Working with MIVA will provide a strong foundation upon which we intend to launch our revenue strategy," said blinkx's founder and figurehead Suranga Chandratillake.

Under the terms of the deal, blinkx users will be able to link straight to geo-targeted, content-related paid-listings provided by MIVA. "The partnership with blinkx extends MIVA's reach into the growing desktop search space on a global level, which enables us to introduce our advertisers to a greater variety of Internet users," Seb Bishop, chief marketing officer of MIVA, said in a prepared statement.

The new Smart Ads Platform will allow blinkx to deliver targeted paid-listings from MIVA's extensive network to users of both the blinkx toolbar and blinkx's video search engine.

Chandratillake said he considered his Smart Ads platform unique, because, while most keyword advertising requires a search in order to generate relevant ads, Smart Ads can understand the context of a user's current desktop activity and use that understanding to link users to relevant ads automatically.

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