MUMBAI: TheMediaDash.com, Inc., a media and advertising technology company formed to improve the buying and selling of radio advertising, has opened for business.
Headquartered in Westport, Conn., The Media Dash is led by radio industry veterans Drew Hilles, CEO, and Rob Williams, COO Together, Mr. Hilles and Mr. Williams have nearly 50 years of experience in advertising sales and radio management.
The Media Dash’s self-serve, online platform, still under development and scheduled for launch in the second quarter of 2011, will allow radio advertisers and broadcasters to execute media transactions with greater ease, speed and accountability
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“Our mission is to enhance and simplify the purchase and sale of radio advertising – making it as easy to conduct a transaction as it is to buy Internet advertising online,” said Mr. Hilles. “We’ve placed extensive effort into our platform’s interface and usability to allow advertisers of all sizes to purchase effective radio campaigns to help them achieve their business goals.”
“The radio industry is at a key inflection point with stable growth forecasted for the next few years With the Internet and social media siphoning off ad dollars, traditional media formats need to work harder to stay relevant and attract their share of marketing dollars. Using the latest digital platform tools may enable radio to reclaim lost market share,” said Richard V. Ducey, Ph.D., chief strategy officer, BIA/Kelsey.
“Radio continues to reach 93 percent of all people 12 years and older – it is a completely ubiquitous medium,” said Mr. Williams. “Having lived and breathed radio for many years, we understand the challenges faced by broadcasters and advertisers. We hope to do our part to help improve the competitiveness of the medium.”
Prior to joining The Media Dash, Mr. Hilles and Mr. Williams co-founded Digital Brand Connections, a digital media company Mr. Hilles was previously a senior director at Google and a founding senior executive of dMarc Broadcasting, which was acquired by Google for $500 million He also held senior management positions at Clear Channel Radio and CBS Radio. Mr. Williams previously served as CEO of GOOM Radio and led many of the nation’s most influential radio stations as a senior manager for Clear Channel’s number one radio market, New York City
The executive team is rounded out by Jody Tester, chief technology officer; and Erin Collier, executive vice president and director of account strategy.
Mr. Tester, who oversees all aspects of technology for The Media Dash, brings 30 years of experience to the company as a successful Internet entrepreneur and start-up veteran. He served as senior vice president at Bright Sky Holdings where he managed the development of a new media buy-sell transactional system targeted at national brand advertisers and local radio. Previously, he held executive positions with Arbitron, MCI Telecommunications/Image Technology and Nortel Networks, among others.
Ms. Collier manages customer strategy and support for The Media Dash. Previously, she held the role as vice president of network radio for MPG where she established and grew the company’s network radio department and was responsible for growing annual billings from $10 million to more than $55 million.
