New ad agency for DiS & Pitchfork

Drowned in Sound and Pitchfork wins complete w00t!media’s portfolio of web’s biggest music publishers

Two of the world’s most established editorial-led music websites, Pitchfork and Drowned in Sound, have appointed w00t!media as their exclusive online advertising sales partner in the UK. 

The wins complete independent digital sales house w00t!media’s portfolio of influential and popular music sites; creating an unrivalled collection of publisher clients which also includes Universal Music UK and Hype Machine.

Multi-award-winning music webzine Drowned in Sound, which has over 320,000 unique users and three million page views every month, will work with w00t!media to bring big brand advertisers to the site. The deal sees the end of Drowned in Sound’s previous contract with Sky Media.

Drowned in Sound launched in October 2000 and the site’s most popular features include album reviews, a members’ social board and the integrated reader forums.

“We respect all of the sites w00t!media represents, so the company is a perfect fit - it really understands the web-savvy, discerning, musically obsessed audience that religiously visit and interact with our site,” said Sean Adams, Founder and Editor of Drowned in Sound. “We’ve worked with Sky Media since it bought Auraplay and we saw the care and attention to detail, as well as the people we had personal relationships with dissipate over time. We have heaps planned for this year as it’s our tenth anniversary - w00t!media will be sourcing ideas and relevant brand partners for our themed content, new artist-led city guides and bespoke Blackberry version of the site.”

Pitchfork is one of the largest online music publications with a monthly audience of over two million unique users. Launched in 1995, Pitchfork is often regarded by industry professionals as the most influential music taste-maker on the web.

“Pitchfork is known for our must-read album reviews and exclusive content, including original music videos and streaming audio featuring the most exciting established and upcoming artists in music,” said Pitchfork Publisher Christopher Kaskie. “Our readers are individuals, and w00t!media seems to understand their unique concerns. Custom, thoughtful, and engaging advertising is the best way to engage our readers while respecting their user experience.”

w00t!media has also picked up lifestyle webzine Platform as a new client – again to exclusively manage UK ad sales. Platform went live at the beginning of last year and now sees over 120,000 unique visitors each month. The website has seen traffic grow by 45% over the last three months and is tipped by publications including the Guardian as an influential youth site in 2010.

“w00t!media is now replacing huge ad-networks as the sales house of choice for major entertainment sites on the web - creative, bespoke opportunities are the clear way forward for cool, talked about websites with loyal audiences,” said Austen Kay, Director of w00t!media. “These savvy regular readers are tuned into every aspect of their favourite sites and have become blind to banners. Online advertising in 2010 is about relating to each individual audience and giving them something entertaining, relevant and appealing. They shop online, use social networks every day and pay for music almost exclusively online – w00t!media recognises this and responds to advertising requirements with imagination and care.”

About w00t!media
w00t!media is an independent digital sales house. We provide premium representation for entertainment and lifestyle publishers, offering an alternative media-buy to commoditised ad-networks. In particular, w00t!media specialises in creative solutions for digital media agencies. w00t!media was founded in 2005 by Austen Kay and Dan McDevitt. Publisher clients include Hype Machine, Pitchfork, Urban Junkies, Universal Music UK, Holy Moly and Popbitch. http://www.w00tmedia.net

To take out ads contact benw@w00tmedia.net

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