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PointRoll CEO Chris Saridakis guides the rich media technology leader's vision and strategy while shaping and developing its product offerings and service. A rich media and online advertising veteran, Chris joined PointRoll in 2003 as chief operating officer. In this role, he was responsible for shaping and developing PointRoll's products, sales and marketing initiatives, and long-term growth strategies. In June 2005, he assumed the position of chief executive officer. Prior to PointRoll, Chris was senior vice president and general manager of the Global TechSolutions division for DoubleClick Inc., the division responsible for the industry's leading ad serving platform, DART.

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Merging Happily Ever After: Defining Why Pointroll’s Marriage to Gannett Works

Written on
December 14th 2006
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by Chris Saridakis  |
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PointRoll believes there is no stronger or more fiscally responsible way to connect with users and create brand relationships than through rich media — Gannett agrees. We also ardently believe that rich media enables advertisers to obtain a much higher level of commitment from users that extends beyond mere engagement and to the ultimate union — marriage. Users actively participate with brands thus achieving “real” results. We feel that no matter the marketing mix, rich media has emerged as a significant and expanding brand-building and sales-generating tool. That’s what gets us up every morning. Corny? Yes. True? Absolutely.

Having the freedom to do what we are passionate about — whether building great products, developing partnerships or expanding to better serve our customers — is the impetus for our continued growth and success. Gannett offered as much, along with its network of outlets and access to resources such as the Gannett Center for Design and Innovation (DIG).

Want to Get Hitched Too? Just Be Yourself and Prove Your Love
Every relationship is slightly different, but there are some fundamentals to ensuring that you, as a rich media company, can attract a buyer while maintaining your identity and ensuring you’ll grow old together:

1. Be Yourself
Prove you have a sustainable business and seek a marriage for the right reasons — because you want to build on a strong foundation, not assume your partner’s identity.

2. Be Passionate
Prove you have a dedicated management team and the best and brightest employees that work day and night because they are passionate about the business.

3. Be Creative
Prove that you aren’t all about transactions and counting impressions. Understand that rich media is about creativity, not about being an ad serving company that is getting into rich media simply because the CPMs are higher.

4. Be a Giver
Prove that your solutions work, are innovative and solve customer problems.

5. Share Bank Accounts
Prove that you can help your customers make money — building their brand and their revenue — and that you aren’t just another expense.

6. Get it on!
Prove that there is more to rich media than software — it’s about delivering results through creative work backed by strong, individualized project management and support.

The Honeymoon’s Over, but We’re Still in Love
When Gannett acquired PointRoll, we knew we would be acquired by a company that had great foresight. This proved to be true and ours is a mutually beneficial relationship grounded in the notion that freedom breeds creativity. Two companies strategically centered and focused on innovation came together and continue to benefit from their individual strengths.

As Warren Buffet has said, “Never invest in a business you cannot understand.” As a true media company — building content, distributing and growing relationships with top advertisers around the world — Gannett clearly understands the business of media. What they have proven with the acquisition of PointRoll, is that online advertising is emerging as a critical component to its media mix.



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Reader Comments.

Chris,

Nicely written, and good principles that people can apply to marriage and business combinations. I am glad you see Gannett as such as good partner, and the honeymoon continues. Previously criticising everyone’s “marriage” as failures is however a bit arrogant, and maybe presumptous as you still are in your “early marriage”. (like newlyweds telling the oldies, or divorcees “how to do it right…ok :) Easy to point fingers, and give advice, when all is well with our relationships, but watch out ..weren’t you married to Doubleclick yourself a little while ago? Objective advice is hard when you have been a member of the family.

But good luck and do hope the honeymoon lasts a long time, we need models that succeed, in marriage and business.

John

Posted by John Pillsbury | 3:44 pm on December 14, 2006.

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