Execs & Accounts for October 8, 2004

The Weather Channel Interactive (TWCi) is gearing up to go head-to-head with powerful desktop weather client WeatherBug. The company is beefing up a sales team it has dedicated solely to pushing its desktop offering, called “Desktop Weather by The Weather Channel.”

Jay Freshwater, formerly director of database marketing sales for TWCi, was named to the new post of director of national desktop sales. Suzanne Klarer also joins this team as desktop account manager. She was previously database marketing account manager for the company, which she has served for four years.

“Devoting additional resources to the desktop space was a very easy decision,” said Paul Iaffaldano, executive VP and general manager of The Weather Channel Media Solutions Group.

E-mail marketing firm Real Magnet has joined the bonded sender program that’s operated jointly by Trust-e and Iron Port Systems. Under the program, legitimate mailers are certified as using industry best practices, and their messages are white listed with a long list of ISPs.

Travel Alberta International tapped RareMethod Capital to create an online marketing campaign targeting winter sports enthusiasts outside Alberta. The effort will run from now through February 2005. Integrating banners, PPC keywords and email, it is designed to attract skiers and snowboarders to the province.

Gamedaily.com expanded its relationship with 24/7 Real Media. In addition to its use of Open AdStream to serve ads, the game download and news site will use 24/7 Real Media’s Insight XE analytics product.

Tribesoft launched a Web site for client IntelligentHire.com. The recruiting services site is a subsidiary of CareerBuilder.com.

St. Joseph’s College tapped Juxta Digital to redesign its Web site. Juxta provided strategy, design, a content management system and database development.