WidgetBucks Signs Deals with ContextWeb and AdOn to Offer 'Hybrid' Ad Widgets

SEATTLE – March 13, 2008
WidgetBucks’ YieldSense(tm) technology gives Web publishers multiple ways to make money from a single online ad and top marketers opportunities to distribute their brands through widgets

Overview

• WidgetBucks, a leading ad widget network, has signed two deals to distribute advertising from top brands such as the Wall Street Journal, HP, Applebee's and Princess Cruises and others through its new "hybrid" ad widgets. 
• WidgetBucks forged the new deals with top ad networks ContextWeb and AdOn, ranked No. 13 and 30, respectively, according to comScore Media Metrix (February 2008 Ad Network report).
• Through YieldSense, WidgetBucks' patent-pending technology, "hybrid" ad widgets give Web publishers the ability to now earn two types of revenue – CPM (cost-per-thousand impressions) and CPC (cost-per-click) – from a single widget instance.

How it works

• When a site visitor requests a page containing a WidgetBucks ad, YieldSense delivers a “hybrid” ad widget containing a short-duration (6-15 seconds) CPM display ad from HP, WSJ and others followed by a dynamic CPC shopping widget that displays great deals on top selling products. 
• The CPM and CPC ads are contextually, geographically and categorically targeted, meaning both publishers and users will get highly-relevant ads for optimized revenue. 
• In addition to enabling the hybrid ad widget, YieldSense also allows for contextual, cost-per-click (CPC) units that displays the highest yielding product categories and ad creative based on a revenue score that is automatically generated from past performance.  This CPC functionality was originally announced in January 2008.

Quotes

“There’s an increasing amount of pressure on widgets to make money, and many are turning to advertising,” said Matt Hulett, CEO and chairman of WidgetBucks. “WidgetBucks a rare and unique combination ad network - widget provider, and at a time when many Web 2.0 companies are working to make money from widgets, WidgetBucks is one of the very few which can claim early success."

About WidgetBucks
WidgetBucks is a global, award-winning ad widget network that helps publishers, bloggers and affiliates make money through online advertising.  WidgetBucks features contextual ad widgets that track the online buying trends of 100 million shoppers, and during its first six months served three billion ad impressions, making it one of, if not, the fastest growing ad network. The parent company of WidgetBucks is Mpire Corporation, whose shopping expertise, market data relationships and proprietary technology serve as the backbone for the network.  Mpire continues to offer its core shopping functionality that brings together the Web's most popular shopping sites, such as eBay, Amazon, Shopping.com, Wal-Mart, Target, Gap, Craigslist, and others, to help buyers find the best deals online. Founded in 2005, Mpire and WidgetBucks are backed by Ignition Partners and former eBay executive and Pay Pal angel investor Richard Rock.  Its Board of Directors is led by CEO and Chairman Matt Hulett, and includes two Ignition partners -- Rich Tong and Michelle Goldberg -- and Sidestep CEO Rob Solomon.

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WidgetBucks is a trademark of Mpire, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.