NYTimes.com Gears ADs to Surfers' Habits
Monty Solomon
By Stefanie Olsen
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
February 13, 2003, 3:50 PM PT
New York Times Digital, in a new test, is letting advertisers reach
visitors with demonstrated interests, in what could be a new dawn of
personalized advertising on the Web.
The company, the online arm of The New York Times, this month started
selling advertisers on a new pitch: reach customers who show interest
in health, entertainment, technology, sports or finance on any news
page of the site. Called "Wide Angle Targeting," the program gives
advertisers the inside track on people who've displayed desirable
preferences that play into what they're selling.
"Before, if you were a business advertiser, you were limited to the
business section. But because of limited inventory, now an advertiser
can reach the same people in a general section," said Craig Calder,
NYTimes.com vice president of marketing. "You can target users that fit
the profile in a particular category."
Targeted advertising has long been held up as the promise of the
Internet, but hasn't been fulfilled for myriad reasons including heated
privacy concerns. The theory is that if marketers can match their
products to already-interested parties with an online profile, then
everybody wins. Advertisers get the most bang for their buck and
consumers receive relevant pitches.
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