Online ad platform Adify has been sold to Cox Enterprises for $300 million, according to a report in paidContent.org citing unnamed sources. Adify, which is used by Guardian, Forbes.com, NBC WeatherPlus, and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, helps other companies develop their own ad networks, paidContent reported.

Investors in the San Bruno, Calif.-based start-up include NBC Universal, US Venture Partners, Venrock Associates, and Time Warner, and has raised $27 million in two rounds of funding. The privately held Cox Enterprises owns Cox Newspapers and Cox Communications, the third-largest cable company in the U.S.

This article is from CNET News.

So, we all know that we live in the era of customer focus, making it easier for your consumer and , oh yes, making online transactions a breeze.
Well, this aint quite what I experienced with FlyMango this week.
My mother contacted me to ask whether I could book a ticket for her seeing that I fly between 4 and 6 times a month and that I do all my bookings online.
No problem, I said, it will be done in a flash.
It turned out that Mango was the cheapest ( Still R 1000 return, Cpt - Jhb) and I promised to book and pay right away. I have never booked with Mango, so did not know what to expect.
Once I got to the PAY NOW button, things started falling apart.
My options were:

• Credit card
• Online bank transfer
• Cash payment
• Edgars
• Voucher

Obviously I went for credit card. No, it said, the person who flies must be the credit card holder. I know other airlines allow for a letter to be accompnaied by the passenger. Mango said, no way!
On to bank transfer payments then, I thought.
This turns out not to be an EFT, as this is FORBIDDEN!
No, when I clicked on that option, I said that a special payment programme ( did not take much notice ) can only operate on Windows Explorer 6 and higher.
Well, so much for using Flock!
My last option was the cash payment. ( I don’t have an Edgars account and did not have a voucher)
When arriving at a Nedbank branch with my cheque, I was told that it actually needs to be hard CASH, cheques ain’t no good!
So, to a bank machine to draw cash, back in the queue and then finally my ticket was paid.
Oh, sorry, not so fast.
Now I need to fax the deposit slip to Mango.
How backwards can this be?
So much for ticket less travel, if there is such a huge paper trail already.
No more Mango for me!

According to this morning’s Business Report, Naspers is keen to acquire global internet firms.
Koos Bekker, the CE of Naspers just returned form a one year sabbatical during which he visited 2 countries to evaluate changes in media.
According to him, the international print media market is in a steady decline and internet is the future.
This of course is not really “news” so to speak, yet it is quite a statement from a media mogul.
Naspers now owns internet auctioneer site, Tradus, which it paid R 14,7 billion for. It also has stakes in Mail.ru ( in Russia), Grupo Abril in Brazil and Tencent holdings in China. They have started a new internet venture in India and already have 170 people there. This is a social networking / portal venture.
The fact is they are looking for more.
So, get out there and invest in international internet firms. Maybe soon the Afrikaners from Cape Town will snap up those companies and you’ll be in the pound seats!

Yesterday I attended a session by Future Blue, a Cape Town based web development company.
It was aimed at getting the travel trade up to speed wrt to what’s happening online.
It covered the basics of current online trends, PPC, SEO, affiliate marketing and email marketing with presentations by:

• Future Blue
• Clicks2Customers
• TrafficSynergy
• Acceleration
• whl.travel

All in all an interesting session, highlighting the basics in good online marketing and pointing out the tools that can help a travel business get the advantage on its competitors.

Staying up to date with what’s happening in the world of online media can become a daunting task. Reading printed articles, blogs, email newsletters and books are all very important in that quest for staying up to date with the latest trends and developments.
One of the tools that can serve as a great inspiration, updater and networking opportunity is a conference.
Having to choose the right one, how-ever, can be as daunting as all the other efforts one has to make.
Is it the venue, the price, the speakers, the content, the networking or other attendants that will make you type in your credit card number for one conference rather than the other?
Sure, it can only be a combination of these factors.
How much weight you need to assign to each of the factors, I cannot say.
At the local new media and online conferences, we often have to listen to the same guys ( not too many girls yet ) telling us the same stuff. R 8500 to R 10 000 for a local conference is no small amount of money.
Internationally however, we may get to see and meet with well known industry characters and perhaps get a business card over and above learning about something new.
There is of course the cost element and then the fact that some of the case studies and examples may not apply. This is certainly the case for anything that’s discussed regarding mobile at a US conference, a field in which South Africa is way ahead of the US.
So what is the solution?
I cannot say, except to make sure that I’ll be drawing up a conference checklist for myself for this year to ensure that I get just the right amount of content, networking and partnership opportunities without having to take out a second bond on my house!

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