Jumpstart Not Phased By Yahoo Report

Yahoo may have put fear into many online automotive and financial advertisers with predictions of softness in those markets, but online advertiser Jumpstart Automotive Media isn’t biting.

by Kristina Knight

The company has launched a new ad network that will target in-market buyers based on their Internet browsing history. The move extends their behavioral targeting strategy, and points to their belief that the markets aren’t going soft, as reported earlier this week by Yahoo.

Jumpstart CEO Mitch Lowe said in a statement (via Clickz News) "Auto ad spending is always lumpy as it heavies up during new model launch periods. The first two months of Q3 were lighter on launches but Q4 and 2007 are heavy for launches. Online 2007 ad inventory is already being committed to at volume and rate both higher than anticipated."

By recruiting publishers like Burst Media, Comcast.net, FoxNews.com and TVGuide.com, the network represents the “largest aggregated distribution base” of in-market vehicle buyers available to marketers through behavioral marketing. VP of Product Development Joe Kyriakoza said moving to behavioral marketing is important because, "With auto makers buying up nearly all of the contextual space on most third-party auto sites, contextual conquesting is non-existent.”

By concentrating on the behavioral targeting tool they can serve up more relevant ads to more in-market buyers. Jumpstart began behavioral targeting last year by partnering with Advertising.com. It now reaches more than 5 million in-market automotive shoppers each month with behavioral targeting, search marketing, contextual display and lead generation.