Things at ZEDO and in the ad market are so exciting. For a while now we’ve been working on our new division, ZINC, hiring people, moving to a Madison Avenue office in New York, and re-branding as way more than an ad server. In the last month things have continued to accelerate.
This has really been an amazing week for ZINC. It’s as though we have unlocked a pent up desire on the part of media planners for something online that will engage visitors and not violate them, and all we have to do is show up, give a demo, and we get an insertion order. Our sales teams have never been so welcome in the offices of media buyers.
Admittedly, some of our other high impact formats, like the slider and the shuffle, have always done well. They’re easily measured as 99% viewable, and they are visible without being obtrusive. They only appear when a viewer is there to see them, so they can be placed below the place formerly known as the fold. We’re certainly not complaining about their performance; the company has grown revenue about 20% this year (unusual for a company that’s not a startup), and it’s been mostly because of them.
But the icing on ZEDO’s cake, and what makes it seem like a startup again (but with huge resources), is the ZINC division’s new large canvas InArticle video unit, which is not a standard ad space, but so much more. When you hover over the ad, the video begins to play, and the sound goes on. And if you click, the video expands to full screen. People who see it are blown away. Auto brands are using this format to reveal their new models, TV networks to tease their new shows, and CPG companies to show their products. And small agencies across the country buy directly from our online platform: www.zincx.com.
What’s even better? We always had a network of premium publishers to place these ads with, but now the publishers are more willing than ever to get on board with us. When we show up with an insertion order from a major brand, we no longer have to wait for the contracts to be signed.
What’s missing from this picture? We can’t hire fast enough. We need enthusiastic people who want to be in the advertising business and sell to major brands, entertain agency clients and take meetings with studio heads, and do all the exciting things the ad business is known for. We’re looking for people who have just a bit of experience in digital media or sales, but it’s the energy we really want, and the willingness to learn and create what advertising will look like in the future.And if sales is not your forte, we also need account reps to take care of these agencies and brands once they’re on board.
