Real Media Goes Down Under with Investment in MediaFusion

Ad network Real Media Thursday made a strategic investment in MediaFusion, an Australian ad rep firm, expanding its presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Real Media bought 25 percent of the seven-person company, which will be renamed Real Media Australia. Financial details of the cash transaction weren’t disclosed.

Australia has become a hot market for US-based ad serving companies. The country’s online ad spending is expected, by some analysts, to top $350 million within three years.

24/7 Media recently purchased the leading player, Sabela Media, and intends to integrate it into the company’s other operations. DoubleClick also has a presence in Australia.

With only seven people, the Real Media Australia office represents just a toe in the water for the company, but the company expects to begin aggressively hiring new staff. The office will be headed up by MediaFusion co-founders David Purcell and Brendon Cropper.

Purcell will serve as vice president, e-commerce and worldwide business development. Cropper takes the job of vice president, strategic integration and agency development.

With this investment, Real Media gains MediaFusion’s agreements with around 25 sites with 50 million monthly impressions.

Other investors and board members include the largest television representation company in Australia (Media Sales Network) and the second largest web content development house (Big River).