AdHunter picks NMMS to seek ad support for its Websites

AdHunter, the alliance of major regional newspaper groups set up to pool classified advertising on the Internet, has appointed New Media Marketing & Sales to seek brand advertising support for its services.

The consortium, which claims to control 70 per cent of all classified ads placed in British newspapers, is planning to roll out three themed Net classified databases from March next year.

“One way to gain revenue is to put advertising and sponsorship on our sites,” says Ian Campbell, project manager at AdHunter. “We had a pitch involving other sales houses, but we chose NMMS because it is the only company dedicated to selling in the Web market.”

The key commercial motive behind developing the sites is to prevent competitors entering the market in Web-based local classified advertising. But AdHunter also wants to become a commercially viable venture in its own right by attracting brand advertisers and sponsors.

The first Website, AutoHunter, will tap into the classified motor sections of 600 newspapers.

JobHunter and Property Hunter are planning to roll out later in 1997.

Harry Torrance, advertising sales manager of the Daily Star, is leaving Express Newspapers to join Media Initiatives, a specialist new media company. The Star is looking for a replacement.