Real Media, Beenz Team to Reward Surfers for Clicking

Ad network Real Media and online currency player beenz on Thursday partnered to create and serve ads that reward Web users for clicking.

The ads, which are contained in what the companies call a Real Market bar, can be served across sites in Real Media’s network just as a banner ad is served. The bar contains four different ads, and when the user clicks on one, they go through to the advertiser’s site. A smaller window also pops up that prompts the user to enter their email address so their beenz account can be credited, or it prompts them to become a beenz member.

The new model combines elements of an ad network with others of points-driven loyalty programs. The companies appear to be going after advertisers in the e-commerce arena, especially those that want to reach Internet users with special promotional offers.

“This program is not just about driving traffic to a merchant,” says Joel Crawford, media services manager at Real Media. “It is about working alongside them to create bars with incentives that focus on stimulating impulse buys.”

So far, the ad model has been used in the U.K., where Aucland, Gameplay and ONETEL have advertised. All reported a rise in their click-through rate and Real Media witnessed a 250 percent increase in the average response rate over what it got with a Real Market bar without the incentives.

Real Media didn’t disclose how it would price this new ad offering.