AOL signs first third-party online client

By Andrew McCormick, Media Week 03-Jul-07, 10:00

LONDON - AOL is the latest major media owner to move into third-party online ad sales, following Sky, Channel 4, Orange and Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions.

Networks@AOL, as the content owner's third-party sales arm has been dubbed, has signed online virtual world Habbo Hotel as its first client.
Habbo Hotel claims to have 655,000 unique users a month and more than 35 million page impressions.

Habbo Hotel will continue to sell bespoke ad campaigns via its internal sales team.

AOL will sell standard inventory including banner ads, buttons and skyscrapers. The company has spent the last few months building a third-party sales team, with Sarah Fenton promoted to group head of Networks@AOL from senior agency sales manager.
Hussain Chowdury, the former Emap creative solutions director hired by Habbo Hotel as UK sales manager last month, will work with Fenton on the advertising brief.
AOL's win comes at the same time as 4DS, Channel 4's ad sales house, picked up its first major third-party client in Thomas Cook (see page 13).
Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions bagged social network Piczo as its debut client.
AOL has lost much of its top brass in recent months.
Phil Guest was director and head of commercial development at AOL UK before becoming managing director of Habbo Hotel in March this year.
Andy Jonesco, who resigned as AOL managing director in March, has started his job as head of digital strategy at Sky following a short sabbatical.