TargetSpot has announced that founder Doug Perlson has stepped down to launch a new venture. His replacement is Eyal Goldwerger, an online advertising and e-commerce veteran.
TargetSpot, which is backed by Bain Capital, CBS Interactive and Union Square Ventures, aggregates the online stream of radio stations and other online music services to build up its listener base and sell local and national advertising. ComScore reported in March that TargetSpot has 15.3 million unique visitors.
One of its more forward-looking efforts pinpoint listeners down to the street level via GPS — allowing them to be targeted by local advertisers while they are driving. The company’s partners include CBS Radio, Fox News, Yahoo! Launchcast and AOL Radio.
Goldwerger’s appointment comes as Google is apparently preparing to launch a similar streaming program as a better way to get into audio advertising than an earlier venture with dMarc that relied on radio station partnerships. Goldwerger says that from his perspective, audio streaming networks “are in their nascency. Whatever (Google) decides to do, it is a blessing” because it raises the industry’s profile.
Goldwerger also says that TargetSpot will continue to focus on “aggregating huge quantities of spots. ” He emphasizes that TargetSpot is offering an “arsenal of tools that are tech based” and that it is working with “all the largest agencies, and many small and large advertisers.”