IAR Bits and Bytes

The Vendare Group Buys Pop-Under Network

Performance marketing company The Vendare Group announced on Wednesday that it acquired pop-under provider TrafficMarketplace from VUNet USA, Vivendi-Universal’s online division.

Exact financial terms of the all-cash transaction were not disclosed.

The deal will give The Vendare Group a self-service ad network, TMP Express. TrafficMarketplace claims to serve ad impressions to more than 70 million Internet users per month through pop-under ads. Publishers receive 65 percent of the revenue generated when people click on the ads; advertisers pay on a per-click basis.

TrafficMarketplace is the second property The Vendare Group has scooped up from Vivendi-Universal’s online division. In June, the company acquired online games company Flipside, home of Jackpot.com and Uproar.

NYTimes.com Adds Bankrate.com Tools

New York Times Digital announced on Wednesday that NYTimes.com would carry personal finance tools from Bankrate.com.

Bankrate.com will provide financial data for display in the real estate, automotive, home and garden sections, where visitors can also find Bankrate.com personal finance tools. The agreement builds on a deal in March to make Bankrate.com’s finance tools available in the business section.

For example, visitors to the real estate section looking to buy a house see a chart of mortgage rate data from Bankrate.com, as well as links to further information from Bankrate.com. Clicking on the links takes users to a co-branded page that carries Bankrate.com advertising.

Luxury Link, Zagat in Net Marketing Deal

High-priced travel source Luxury Link and leisure guide publisher Zagat Survey announced on Wednesday a cross-promotional Web marketing deal.

The deal calls for Zagat.com to feature offers for travel packages from Luxury Link, beginning next week. Luxury Link’s Web site will promote Zagat.com in its “Gourmet Escapes” section, beginning today. It will also encourage travelers to participate in Zagat’s International Hotels, Resorts and Spas survey. Luxury Link users clicking through to Zagat’s site will receive the survey free.

Luxury Links both sells and auctions high-end vacation packages. Zagat publishes a number of consumer surveys covering restaurants, travel, nightlife, and other entertainment.