IAR Bits and Bytes for Friday

iWon, Hollywood Squares Team for Promotion

CBS-backed portal iWon.com said it and King World Enterprises’ syndicated game show “Hollywood Squares” launched a watch-and-win promotion designed to cross-market the two properties.

iWon is best known as the Internet portal offering various ongoing on-site sweepstakes to reward visitors for using the site.

During each show, an iWon logo will appear alongside a celebrities participating in Hollywood Squares. Watchers who visit hollywoodsquares.com and identify the celebrity receive 10 entries toward the “iWon & Hollywood Squares Celebrity Sweepstakes” weekly and monthly prize drawings for prizes including Flooz online currency and vacation packages from iWon content partner Travelocity.com.

iWon said the promotion, which continues through late January, will be supported with 10- to 15-second promotional spots during the show, and with banner ads on its site.

The portal also will host a series of celebrity chat sessions, which began Thursday with “Squares” host Tom Bergeron.

LifeMinders, First USA in Messaging Deal

Online and wireless marketer LifeMinders said it and First USA inked a multi-million-dollar deal, under which LifeMinders will send targeted direct marketing messages and offers for various First USA Visa credit cards — including LifeMinders co-branded cards.

LifeMinders estimates that about 18 million consumers total receive its various opt-in, ad-supported newsletters and reminders. Recipients of specific newsletters will be targeted for deals on related cards — for instance, LifeMinders Travel recipients might be sent information on the British Airways Platinum Visa

In addition, terms of the multi-year deal give First USA sponsorship rights portions of LifeMinders’ Olympics newsletter, which is the official newsletter of the games.

XMarkstheSpot Signs Multex, Launches New Network Channel

Cost-per-acquisition marketing network XMarkstheSpot netted a deal with financial services marketmaker Multex.com, which will serve as the anchor property in its new Finance and Investing channel.

XMarkstheSpot aggregates registration rewards from advertisers. Users register once on the site, and select channels of interest, and select advertisers with whom which they wish to register in return for discounts, cash prizes or discounts.