Drayton pushes ad targeting service

by Sarah Crawley-Boevey, Media Week 11-Mar-08, 10:10

LONDON - Former Telegraph boss Hugo Drayton is pressing ahead with the launch of a behavioural ad targeting service despite attempts by bloggers to derail the technology.

Phorm, which claims to be unique because it maintains consumers’ privacy, offers advertisers heavily tailored behavioural targeting information based on user data from three major UK ISPs.

But numerous bloggers have set up websites criticising Phorm and its Open Internet Exchange (OIX) system, claiming to be working on counter-technology to stop the company accessing ISP user data.

Drayton, who heads OIX, said he expected criticism, but is confident the service will be ready on time. “The bloggers have rightly understood that what we’re doing is quite powerful and the involvement of the ISP is what’s raised the interest,” he said.

OIX has partnered with BT, The Carphone Warehouse and Virgin Media, which combined represents 70% of UK consumer broadband subscribers, to collate data about user activity.

Drayton and worldwide chief executive of Phorm, Kent Ertugrul, are holding webchats with concerned parties to address concerns over piracy.

Drayton said: “We knew we’d have to go through a period of informing and educating and that’s what we’re involved with now.”