24/7 Media Acquires ConsumerNet

24/7 Media Inc., moving to bolster its direct marketing operations, acquired ConsumerNet, a provider of opt-in email marketing solutions, for $52 million.

The ad network company said that its 24/7 Mail email-based direct marketing arm (previously known as Sift Inc.) now has under management more than 11 million addresses.

The company said the acquisition also enhances its ability to offer integrated multimedia campaigns that utilize the strengths of email and banners.

ConsumerNet acquires, manages and markets self-reported consumer preference information from both online and off-line data sources, creating an opt-in cooperative database of demographic and psychographic consumer preference information.

The company’s database consists of more than three million consumers who provided information in more than 20 major categories. Members of the ConsumerNet Alliance number more than 125 Web sites, including Fox Interactive, GameSpot, Columbia TriStar, BMG and RCA..

24/7 Mail has a stable of email newsletters and standalone lists that provide marketers with a means of reaching highly targeted demographics.

<p “The rapid growth of both our list sales team and our list management clients indicates that consumers and advertisers alike are interested in targeted advertising, and we are eager to capitalize on the market potential of this booming advertising medium,” said Michael Rowsom, senior vice president at 24/7 Media.

ConsumerNet will be merged with 24/7 Mail, an independent subsidiary of 24/7 Media, Inc., and its management team will become an integral part of the 24/7 Mail division, led by Rowsom. The ConsumerNet management team includes Paul Chachko, CEO and Troy Scheer, president.