The Big Three ... and More - Page 4

Since the previous version of this article was published, Accipiter AdManager has become Engage AdManager, and NetGravity has been absorbed by DoubleClick. Together with Real Media's Open Ad Stream, they represent the top of the line for commercially available products. They have the features and flexibility needed by large Web sites, groups of Web sites, and even ad networks. They can do all the standard types of targeting that the lesser lights can do, plus some other neat tricks having to do with profiling individual users. They all offer very detailed online reports that incorporate all the targeting that has been selected. These packages can create not only traffic reports, but reports that project available ad inventory, and reports that compare different campaigns. Reports are accessed online, and are customizable and exportable.

All of the "big three" have both outsourced (service) and stand- alone (product) versions. All three companies also offer their services as rep firms/ad networks, so any of these software packages may be used in any of the three possible business scenarios discussed at the beginning of this article.

All three make their API available, so a certain amount of custom programming is possible, and in fact likely to be necessary.

Engage AdManager 5.0
Engage, Inc.
1-877-U-ENGAGE
http://www.engage.com
sales@engage.com

Open Ad Stream version 5
RealMedia
877-688 REAL
http://www.realmedia.com
info@realmedia.com

DoubleClick AdServer 4 (stand-alone product)
DoubleClick DART (outsourced solution)
DoubleClick, Inc.
212-271-CLICK (2542)
http://www.doubleclick.net/
jblum@doubleclick.net

Other Resources

Mailing Lists

Online Advertising Discussion List
An ongoing discussion of online ad issues. The packages and networks mentioned in this article are frequently discussed.

Internet Advertising Report
Contains links to current articles having to do with online advertising. To subscribe, send mail to: listserv@listserv.internet.com, and put "SUBSCRIBE IAR " in the first line of the message body.

HTML Writers Guild
This organization sponsors several mailing lists, some of which discuss online advertising issues.

Internet Link Exchange Digest
Mainly concerned with issues having to do with link exchanges, but online advertising is sometimes discussed. To subscribe, send a message with any contents and subject (or none) to: subscribe-digest@le-digest.com.

Web Sites

Web Developer's Journal Internet Advertising Section
A variety of articles on banner ads, including advice on how to choose ad management software.

Currently Available Packages - Page 3
Banner Ad Management Software