Aureate Media Signs Distribution Agreements

Software advertising company Aureate Media Corp. signed distribution deals with McGraw Hill, IDG Books, Software-of-the-Month Club and several international magazines.

Aureate Media unites software developers and advertisers in a mutually beneficial exchange that gives users software for free while providing advertisers with a targeted market.

The new relationships increase — and further target — the audience advertisers can reach through Aureate’s network, the company said. Financial arrangements were not disclosed.

Clickthrough rates on advertising embedded within Aureate software are nearly double that of standard Web advertising, the company said.

“These relationships give us the ability to increase our value to advertisers while putting more money in our network member’s pockets,” said Ehren Maedge, president and CEO of Aureate Media.

The software Aureate Media distributes is made available to consumers via Aureate’s Web site and through e-tailers, off-line retail stores and other popular Web sites. Aureate Media claims to reach more than 6 million registered desktops.

@Ventures, the affiliated venture capital arm of Internet holding company CMGI Inc. recently invested $5 million in Aureate.