Public Affairs and Political Veterans Develop Proprietary Attitudinal Targeting Platform and Ad Network That Reaches Web Users with Common Issue Positions; Backed by Powerhouse Bi-Partisan Investors
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Resonate Networks announced the first online ad network built for political and public affairs advertising. Resonate’s ad network is powered by its proprietary Attitudinal Targeting platform that, for the first time, provides public affairs and political advertisers with the ability to identify, persuade, motivate and organize like-minded audiences online and drive them towards an actionable step—whether it is joining a campaign, contributing to a cause, or supporting an initiative.
Resonate was founded by Public Affairs veteran John Brady and former White House Political Director Sara Taylor as a way to address the limitations of targeting Web users with only demographics and purchase behavior. By giving public affairs, political and corporate advertisers the ability to pinpoint and target online audiences based on their attitudes and beliefs on a wide variety of key public policy issues, Attitudinal Targeting was envisioned as an innovative way to target advocacy and issue campaigns to Web users with common issue positions.
Resonate also announced it raised a $2 million Series A investment round from strategic investors representing many segments of the public affairs market, as well as notable figures from both sides of the political spectrum, including Alex Gage, Harold Ickes, Rich and Linda Tarplin, and Steve McMahon.
“Quite simply, targeting based on attitudes and issue positions is the next generation in online targeting,” said Harold Ickes, a leading Democratic Strategist and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff for President Clinton. “The big challenge has always been segmenting audiences based not just on who they are, where they live and what they earn, but what they believe, how influential they are and the degree to which they are willing to engage on an issue.”
Resonate’s Attitudinal Targeting Platform
Because the critical correlation between Web users’ attitudes and where to find them online has not previously existed, advertisers have been challenged to reach the influential segments of Web users most likely to engage on their side of an issue. Developed by world-class research and online industry experts, Resonate’s Attitudinal Targeting platform incorporates extensive and proprietary algorithms, data modeling and analysis to map Web users’ attitudes and issue positions against their online behavior. Attitudinal data that advertisers can leverage include:
* Issue interest and position: Targeting based on the specific side of an issue of interest, or the key category of ‘persuadables’ on the fence about an issue. Resonate has current coverage of key issues such as: energy, global warming, healthcare, product safety, sustainability, defense/military, financial services, foreign policy, legal, pharmaceutical, taxes and trade.
* Issue orientation: Targeting based on issue themes, such as targeting supporters of government regulation, or those who generally oppose additional taxes.
* Engagement level: Targeting highly influential individuals with a history of taking action related to an issue of interest, such as the environment or entitlement reform.
* Partisanship and vote history: Ability to combine online audience issue interests with political attributes such as partisanship, ideology, and voting frequency.
* Media consumption patterns: Using media consumption patterns, such as frequency or type of media consumed, to inform advertising buys.
“For public affairs advertisers, the targeting possibilities are limitless when it comes to identifying, persuading or motivating high-quality online audiences for an issue-based or branding campaign,” said Taylor. “For example, campaigns can now reach and engage mothers with children under 16 who support food industry regulation to reduce childhood obesity, or identify influentials who regularly watch CNN or Fox News and oppose government taking a more direct role in the healthcare system.”
The Resonate Online Ad Network
Using the results of its targeting research, Resonate has established a growing network of hundreds of web site publishers whose audiences correlate to Resonate Networks’ attitudinal segments. Based on an advertiser’s goals, Resonate leverages this network to develop customized online campaigns featuring the optimal mix of sites that reach the advertiser’s attitudinal segments in the most cost-effective manner. Resonate delivers customized ad targeting and online placement packages for display advertising: banner ads, rich media, and video ads.
Resonate and Privacy
Resonate Networks never collects, stores or analyzes any personally identifiable information (PII), and the firm’s online targeting model was developed by world-class research and online industry experts with an emphasis on protecting privacy.
Resonate’s Leadership Team
Resonate was founded in 2008 by executives who have spent decades operating at the intersection of advocacy, technology, advertising and politics—all of whom were unified by a shared frustration with the inherent inefficiencies and limitations of traditional online audience targeting.
“Resonate Networks has developed an entirely new way to target ads online that is much more relevant to organizations engaged in issue advocacy and image advertising,” said Bryan Gernert, Chief Executive Officer, Resonate Networks. “For online advertisers, the benefits of Resonate’s online ad network are simple—online ad conversion rates three to five times higher than those of traditional ad networks plus the ability to reach a higher quality online audience at a reduced cost.”
Resonate has eclipsed seven figures in revenue after just five months of operation and currently works with a client roster featuring some of the nation’s most respected public affairs agencies, corporations and advocacy groups. Resonate’s management team includes:
* Bryan Gernert, CEO – formerly SVP and GM of the Americas for Cybertrust
* Andy Hunn, COO – formerly VP, Corporate Business Development at Cybertrust
* Nick Tabbal, VP of Research – formerly SVP, Media at comScore
* John Brady, Founder and Chairman – co-founded The Direct Impact Company (acquired by Young and Rubicam, now part of WPP)
* Sara Taylor, Founder and Vice Chairman – formerly White House Political Director during the George W. Bush Administration
“Everyone knows that demographics and purchase behavior only get you so far in online targeting, but there haven’t been any alternatives,” added Steve McMahon, a well-known media consultant and strategic political advisor. “By enabling targeting based on the audience’s attitudes and issue positions, Resonate has introduced a true game changer that will enhance the efficacy of online campaigns.”
Resonate’s Investors
* Alexander Gage – leading micro-targeting expert who helped lead voter targeting effort during President Bush’s 2004 Presidential campaign; CEO and Founder of TargetPoint Consulting
* Harold Ickes – leading Democratic strategist and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff for President Clinton
* Steve McMahon – media consultant and strategic advisor to Democratic candidates who helped to direct Internet strategy for the Howard Dean Presidential campaign
* Rich Tarplin – political strategist who served nearly 20 years in U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate
* Linda Tarplin – leading healthcare consultant who held senior positions in the White House and Department of Health and Human Services under two Republican Presidents
About Resonate Networks
Alexandria, Virginia-based Resonate Networks is the first online advertising network to feature an Attitudinal Targeting platform that correlates Web users’ attitudes, issue positions, levels of engagement, ideology and partisanship with their online behavior. Resonate’s Attitudinal Targeting enables public affairs organizations, advocacy groups, non-profits, grassroots operations, political advertisers and corporate advertisers to target and reach online audiences more precisely and cost-effectively than traditional ad networks. Online advertisers and online publishers can find additional information at http://www.resonatenetworks.com.
