Specific Media Buys Adviva

Specific Media, an Irvine, Calif.-based online advertising network, has acquired UK ad network operator Adviva Media Ltd. No financial terms were disclosed. Specific Media last year raised $100 million from Francisco Partners, while Adviva had raised EUR 6.6 million in VC funding from Kennet Partners.

PRESS RELEASE

Specific Media, the largest independent online advertising network, today announced a definitive agreement to acquire all the assets of Adviva, a leading display advertising network in the United Kingdom. The combination of Specific Media and Adviva in the UK gives brand advertisers an opportunity to combine massive reach with every method of targeting to produce the results they are looking to achieve. The Adviva acquisition marks Specific Media's entry into the European market, giving the company a strong start on global expansion. The deal closed this week for an undisclosed amount.

With $5 billion in online advertising revenues in 2007 according to eMarketer, the UK is the largest European advertising market. Adviva's broad network of brand-friendly content driven websites reaches more than 21.3 million unique UK internet users. Post-acquisition the combined companies will become the fourth largest ad network in the UK reaching 25.9 million unique UK users.

“Specific Media has anonymous data on 365 million consumers globally and the acquisition of Adviva gives us the opportunity to utilize the European portion of that data,” said Tim Vanderhook, co-founder and CEO of Specific Media. “Specific Media chose to partner with Adviva because it had a compelling value proposition of brand advertisers, quality publishers and a tremendous team that are enthusiastic about the opportunities in front of us.”

Specific Media is the only advertising network offering brand advertisers a complete targeting solution that combines demographic, behavioral, contextual, and geographic methods. The company currently works with more than 300 of Fortune 500 brands including seven of the top 10. Following the acquisition, Adviva's London office will become Specific Media's European headquarters. The acquisition of Adviva brings the total employee count for Specific Media to close to 200.

“Specific Media and Adviva have a great deal in common already and the new synergies will further benefit our advertisers and publishers,” said Todd Treusdell, co-founder and CEO of Adviva, who will stay onboard as Specific Media's Managing Director, European Operations. “Now reaching nearly 80 percent of consumers in the US and the UK, Specific Media gives publishers and advertisers an attractive alternative to the large, publicly-held players in the industry.”

About Specific Media

Specific Media, the advertising industry's fastest-growing interactive media company, enables advertisers to target consumers based on demographics, behaviors, geographic locations and/or the contextual relevance of websites visited. Specific Media works with many of the Fortune 500 brands including seven of the top 10 companies. Specific Media's network reaches more than 140 million U.S. monthly unique users and includes more than 450 premier brands such as: ABC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, Major League Baseball, Sportsline.com and VIACOM. For additional information, visit www.specificmedia.com