This automatically takes cookie data and sorts them into 20 categories of users, such as those interested in entertainment or sports. Customer PC Financial Network, an online brokerage, was so intrigued by the idea that it did an experiment. In the first ten days, the ads generated some 3,118 leads for new accounts. A media strategy without the Internet is suicidal,'' says CEO Christos M. Cotsakos. Indeed, in contrast with the ho-hum approach Madison Avenue once took toward the online world, it is now going all out to make it a core part of the business.
Huge billings are the incentive.
Some online operators are already watching the ad dollars roll in. Whatever the growth is this year, it'll be twice or three times that next year,'' says Marc L. Andreessen, Netscape's cofounder. Revenues are jumping in part because the most popular Web sites are starting to command more money per ad. The technology has matured so much that if you just put your zip code in once, we can tag you,'' says Halsey Minor, CEO of CNET Inc., a San Francisco interactive-media company. CNET is doing its part to hurry along the process.