Execs & Accounts for November 7, 2003

Radio ad veterans Eric Ronning and Andy Lipset have formed an online radio representation firm aimed at bringing traditional advertisers to online radio. Lipset’s background includes directing ad sales efforts at D&R Radio/Interep and America Online’s Music division. Ronning was SVP and regional manager for Clear Channel Radio Sales/Interep before being hired by Yahoo as an executive director.

Called Ronning/Lipset Radio, the firm will attempt to capitalize on the growth of online radio and to distinguish the Internet radio audience as a big spending segment, compared to the larger body of radio listeners.

“Online radio has come of age and grown to a size where marketers can now make an impact by reaching this audience,” said Ronning. “There have been a handful of entities who tried this business several years ago, however, the conditions of the medium were not right at the time. Today, the conditions are different, and we feel, optimum.”

Health site HealthSquare.com has tapped 24/7 Real Media for ad representation. The health site joins 24/7’s heath channel, providing an attractive audience for pharmaceutical marketers, the companies said.

“I’m impressed with 24/7 Real Media’s current roster of healthcare advertisers and believe it has the best solution and sales team for maximizing revenue on the HealthSquare.com site,” said Raul Collado, managing partner of HealthSquare.com parent New Media Systems.

Nonprofit organization Foundation For a Better Life tapped interactive marketer Tribesoft to build English and Spanish versions of its public Web site. The agency will provide full consulting and architecture services for the site’s new design, as well as a complete overhaul of the site’s database engine and content publishing system.

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