S	M	T	W	T	F	S
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31

Subscribe
Get the next ClickZ Today newsletter delivered to your inbox!

« Ford and Microsoft Sync Up for Viral Roadtripping | Main | New Obama Ads Ask for Unity »

June 5, 2008

Glam Aims to Dominate Social Hip Hop...Maybe

"We really don't want to enter markets unless we can be dominant."

That's what Glam Media CEO and Chairman Samir Arora said during this week's EconAds conference here in New York. It seemed pretty bold, and I thought about it when I read this morning about how Glam is partnering with Global Grind, a social network for hip-hop fans. Global Grind is using Glam's Managed Vertical Network platform for a new "hip-hop based vertical network" that's now part of Glam's Entertainment Channel. Evidently, Russell Simmons is a financial backer of Global Grind.

"Global Grind will recruit the best sites and blogs to the co-branded publisher network, while the Digital Primetime brand ads will be managed by Glam Media," notes the press release.

Digital Primetime is Glam's targeting technology.

"Prime time" seems to be part of Arora's regular lexicon. At the conference he commented that compared to TV advertising, "The Internet is really backwards…. [I don't understand why] most companies have been really focused on remnant inventory rather than focus on what the prime time inventory is." The goal of Glam, he said, is to "completely and totally focus on brand advertisers."

He continued saying his firm never moves into a vertical without having an "anchor" site, meaning a Glam-owned property, to ensure the company understands the vertical they're entering.

It's all starting to come together, sort of. According to the press release, the new hip-hop network will be "anchored by Global Grind."

(OK, there's no affiliation to MTV's old hip hop dance show "The Grind," but I couldn't resist throwing in an image).

Posted by Kate Kaye at June 5, 2008 5:59 PM

Digg this! Add to del.icio.us StumbleUpon Toolbar Stumble It!

Comments

This is an interesting development. I have been following Global Grind and I wonder if "anchored by Global Grind" means an acquisition?

I do agree that vertical networks have their place and this makes sense. I however feel that in the future, more sites will have users choose the industries that they wish to receive ads from on a site such as checking off "music, sports, autos" and then only serving ads relevant to those topics.

Personalization will undoubtedly trump verticals in the long-run.

David Mullings June 10, 2008 10:17 AM

The MTV Grind is a nice thing, I love hip-hop dance music in weekends and sometime even some practice at home.

I hope this "new" Glam will work it out as well.

Thanks Kate ;-)

LenoMike June 15, 2009 4:41 PM

This is a good move for Glam. Exercise and working out seem to go hand in hand with hip hop music due to the genres upbeat rhythmic sound. I am very familiar with Global Grind, and I could see Glam being successful with the partnership.

Drake July 11, 2009 7:51 PM

Interesting. Do you have any updates on their expansion? I'm curious which sites were added to their network and how much they paid for them. Good to see a push into hip hop online.

R&B Guru - Expert on R&B Music and R&B News

R&B Guru July 19, 2009 1:13 PM

June 5, 2008

Glam Aims to Dominate Social Hip Hop...Maybe

Comments

Post a comment