IT, Advertising, Media

ATG Adds Click-to-Call to Video Ads

Wade Roush 11/18/08

Back in 2006, Cambridge, MA-based Art Technology Group (NASDAQ: ARTG) spent north of $48 million in cash and stock to acquire eStara, a maker of software that allows Web surfers to open voice-over-Internet connections with sales agents by clicking on Internet ads. Yesterday the company announced that it’s extending eStara’s capabilities to Flash-based video ads. “While consumers are more comfortable watching video clips online now than ever before, direct-response advertisers—many of whom are small, local businesses—have struggled to find a video advertising model that is cost-effective and measurable,” said Ruth Habbe, vice president of ATG’s eStara Business Group, said in a statement. “eStara Video Connect solves this problem by making video ads actionable, and by giving media companies a rich tool for tracking consumer actions and leads generated from each and every video ad.”

Wade Roush is Xconomy's chief correspondent. You can e-mail him at wroush@xconomy.com or call (617) 252-7323.