• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, October 20, 2008

In a move that helps consolidate the fringe players competing against the dominant media buying processing provider, Donovan Data Systems, upstart MediaBank has acquired Mediaplex Systems from ValueClick. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the deal expands MediaBank's market share, and gives it more impetus in its quest to unseat DDS.

MediaBank did not say what the acquisition does to its market share in the media industry, but its CEO Brad Keywell said it "expands our footprint" and "takes us from being a strong No. 2 to being an even stronger No. 2."

In the process, MediaBank gains an organization of 80 people, most of whom Keywell said would be retained by MediaBank, as well as a variety of data processing systems for managing most major media, digital asset management, production and accounting. He said the best of MediaPlex's systems would be incorporated into MediaBank, and best of MediaBank's technology would augment MediaPlex.

Over time, MediaBank will re-brand MediaPlex products as MediaBank's and the MediaPlex name will go away. Some of the big agencies MediaBank gains from the acquisition include Doner, and The Martin Agency, as well as a number of smaller independents, and a number of smaller advertisers who buy direct through in-house advertising departments.

The deal also marks yet another chapter in the storied history of a media buying system provider that began life in the 1970s as part of what was once the largest advertising agency in Kentucky, Zimmer-McClaskey-Lewis (ZML). ZML was purchased by McCann-Erickson in 1981 and the media buying system became known as the Mnn Erickson system. In 200, the system was sold to MediaPlex, and in 2001 MediaPlex merged with online marketing services giant ValueClick.