Ad 2-one signs online ad deal with LinkedIn

by Hayley Pinkerfield, Revolution UK 20-Mar-07, 12:30

LONDON - Online ad house ad 2-one has won the account to represent LinkedIn in the UK, Ireland, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

This is the first time that LinkedIn, an online business network, has taken ad bookings directly from these territories. It will initially be offering MPUs, leaderboards and Skyscrapers to advertisers reaching out to business professionals.

The initial pitch went out around Christmas. Ad 2-one offered LinkedIn representation in Australia and New Zealand as well as the UK, and sell-in to European online media buyers based in London.

LinkedIn has a community of more than nine million people worldwide. This is comprised of senior executives and managers from across industries, and employees from tech firms such as Google and Microsoft.

Grant Allaway, director of ad 2-one, said of the deal: “There is a real lack of good quality business inventory in the UK. Media buyers instantly think of Financial Times and The Times. LinkedIn will provide a challenge to those who have it their own way for too long. It combines business and social networking, two very in-demand content areas.

“There have been attempts at this before but LinkedIn is carving out a niche in the sector with sheer global scale. Now ad 2-one will be able to offer online advertisers a fresh audience of high net-worth business professionals.”

Ben Guthrie, business analyst at LinkedIn, commented that ad 2-one ‘gives us the ability to increase ad revenues in key markets worldwide’.