News release:
ESPN signed to new Snakk division called Represent Media
Advertisers can now access premium publisher titles for mobile ad campaigns via new Snakk subsidiary
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, 15 September 2014 - Today Snakk Media (NZAX: SNK) has launched Represent Media, a new
wholly-owned subsidiary which sells advertising space for premium publisher titles appearing on mobile apps and
websites. Represent Media has signed ESPN in its first exclusive mobile advertising collaboration in the Australian
market.
Represent Media will now sell the premium Australian mobile ad inventory available on ESPN’s leading mobile applications
and websites. These include well-known titles ESPN.com, ESPNcricinfo, ESPNScrum, ESPNF1, ESPNFC and ESPNfootytips.
“Setting up a new division and securing a premium brand like ESPN is another exciting moment in Snakk’s relatively short
history,” says Snakk Group CEO Mark Ryan.
“We are proud to work with ESPN. I’m confident the Represent Media team will grow the business to include agreements
with other premium publisher brands. We’ll be expanding the sales team within Australia, New Zealand and quickly into
Asia as demand is clearly strong in all these markets.”
Represent Media will use the creative talent and best-of-breed smart screen advertising technologies powered by Snakk
Media, particularly those that focus on sophisticated targeting to reach the right audience.
Jamie Hollebone will lead the subsidiary, which is based at Snakk’s new Surry Hills office space in Sydney. Mr Hollebone
joins Represent Media as its General Manager from Parramatta National Rugby League Club where he was head of the
company’s brand and corporate sales. Before this he spent more than a dozen years in online and traditional advertising
with companies including News Corp, MCN and Pacific Magazines.
ESPN Australia/NZ Director of Digital Products & Partnerships Lance Peatey says the collaboration with Represent Media goes beyond solely generating advertising revenue
from its sizable and fast-growing mobile audience: “We want to offer users of our mobile apps and websites an engaging
way to interact with the brands who advertise with us. Snakk shares our focus on rich media and creative sponsorship
solutions that will generate stronger engagement and response rates for top-tier brands that advertise with our
industry-leading mobile properties.”
Mr Ryan explains the decision to set up Represent Media as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Snakk:
“It became clear that there hadn’t been a new market entrant representing premium publisher titles for several years,
which is an eternity in our industry. It’s a different yet highly complementary business to Snakk. There was an obvious
demand for a fresh approach in market, and by leveraging the existing expertise and skills within Snakk we felt we could
offer something new and different very cost-effectively.”
How is Represent Media different from Snakk?
Snakk sells what’s known in the ad industry as ‘audience aggregation’ products, which means its ads are focussed on
getting in front of the right audience at the right place and time without favouring a particular mobile app or websites
nominated by the advertisers. Snakk ads appear across large and diverse networks of mobile websites, apps and games as
opposed to just appearing on one specific publisher’s mobile channels.
However, when a brand marketer wants to also advertise specifically within a premium publisher, Represent Media can
assist. By establishing exclusive agreements to represent premium publishers, the newly formed division can match an
advertiser’s request to a specific publisher’s supply of available ad space.
Both Snakk Media and Represent generate revenue from the advertiser paying to use the ad space and the publishers
serving the ad to its audiences.
-ENDS-
ESPN, Inc. is the leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring the broadest portfolio of
multimedia sports assets with over 50 business entities. Based in Bristol, Conn., with 4,000 employees (7,000
worldwide).The company is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.
Represent Media is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Snakk Media Ltd offering advertisers highly-targeted and engaging mobile
ad campaigns that run exclusively across the mobile apps and websites produced by well-known publishing brands with
large audience followings. The company matches a brand’s desire to appear on these specific “big name” mobile apps and
websites with the publisher’s supply of ad space.
NZAX-listed Snakk Media helps brands find and reach consumers using apps, games and social media on their smartphones,
tablets and other smart screens. The company generates revenue every time it successfully targets and delivers an ad
across its networks of mobile websites, apps and games. The ads are targeted to ensure the right audiences see them at
the right time and place.
Snakk is one of the first public companies in the world that has met the rigorous social and environmental performance
standards required to become a certified B Corporation.