IQ News: bits

Warp10 Technologies, Toronto, has launched AdsGallery.com, a site where almost 100 agencies exhibit their traditional and online ad campaigns. It includes the Ad Spotlight showcasing creative work and resources, and services for the ad industry.
America Online, Dulles, Va., and First USA, Wilmington, Del., announced a five-year agreement valued at $500 million. First USA becomes the exclusive marketer of credit card products and services on AOL, CompuServe, AOL.com and AOL Instant Messenger in the United States and Canada, and will also market products and services on AOL’s Digital City. The deal gives AOL guaranteed revenue.
Giant Step, Chicago, this week will launch banner ads for Procter & Gamble’s New Pert Plus featuring TV spokesman Sinkboy, who sends surfers to the New Pert Plus Web site. The campaign includes animated .gifs and video banners that play the TV commercial, as well as sponsorships on station.sony.com. The site features a sweepstakes to win a trip to Miami to meet Sinkboy.
Entertainment site E! Online, Los Angeles, inked a sponsorship deal with Women.com, San Mateo, Calif., whereby the women’s online network will co-sponsor E! Online’s awards show coverage through 2000, including the Grammys, Academy Awards and Emmys cybercasts.
After adding five TV markets to its successful consumer awareness campaign, Lycos Network search portal HotBot, produced by Wired Digital, San Francisco, will launch a radio campaign in 12 cities, carrying the same “search smarter” message. The campaign follows a study by Bernett Research Services for Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco, Wired Digital’s agency of record, showing a 60 percent increase in awareness after the first six weeks of the TV campaign.
CNet, San Francisco, acquired NetVentures, also San Francisco, in a stock-for-stock exchange. NetVentures owns ShopBuilder, an online store creation system. With the acquisition, CNet will enable resellers of unbranded computer systems to build online stores and market products through its online sales channel, Shopper.com.
AdKnowledge, Palo Alto, Calif., last week announced that direct marketing shop i-traffic, New York, has made the company its preferred ad serving technology partner.