Engage Launches European B2B Ad Network

CMGI-owned online marketing and ad company Engage said Wednesday that it is launching a European B2B ad network with 16 sites.

The network will include Web and email advertising, and will be integrated into the company’s domestic B2B offerings.

“Our ability to serve the business media market is a natural evolution of our online marketing solutions suite,” said Engage president and chief executive Paul Schaut. “Engage is committed to growing its business media efforts not only in the U.S. but on a global scale. ”

Engage already has a sizable domestic B2B ad network of about 300 sites, which it divides into 12 vertical channels, ranging from automotive to healthcare to legal sites. The business-to-business division, which was originally operated as a stand-alone start-up, was recently merged into Engage’s media business, when the company announced restructuring and the slashing of 175 jobs. Among those to depart amid that restructuring was Joanne Currie, founder and general manager of Engage Business Media. The expansion into Europe, though, seems to indicate that Engage still intends to commit substantial resources to developing the operation.

Sites in the Engage UK business media network include adminapolis.com, Easy office, ECEurope, Compinfo-center and Magic Ant Mobile.

“We are aggressively building our Web and email advertising networks to establish ourselves as the leader in business media online advertising while also meeting the needs of both vertical market advertisers and Web publishers,” said Engage European managing director Peter Chaplin.

Engage’s B2B network competes with B2BWorks, which counts more than 500 sites in its network. That company also earlier this month announced double-opt-in email list distribution through a deal with NetCreations.

Engage also said that it hopes to leverage its European network into lucrative technology sales — which have a high profit margin for the firm.

“Our dedicated media sales executives, media consultants and market analysts will employ Engage’s powerful technology solutions to provide world-class online advertising opportunities for business media companies,” Chaplin said.