News

June 7, 2007 - Vancouver, BC - IDELIX Software Inc. is currently in stealth mode on a compelling new, patents-pending, map-based advertising model called Lat49 (www.lat49.com). Currently in testing, the API is scheduled for full release in early August of 2007.

With launch of Google Maps in 2004 and the follow-up releases of competing Ajax map and API offerings from Microsoft, Yahoo, Mapquest and Ask, there has been an explosion of map mashups on the Web. Everyday, there are new and creative examples of how people are "mashing" data available on the Web with maps to create insightful new methods for viewing and analyzing information.

One of the factors limiting the continued growth of Ajax map mashups is the lack of options available for developers to monetize their work. The models employed by current online advertising networks such as Google's AdSense are not optimized for Ajax map-centric sites. AdSense and their competitors rely on page view metrics and html text to deliver relevant ads that change with user activity. A person can spend over an hour exploring an Ajax map mashup, but only one page view will register and the ads they see will never change. There is very little text available in the code of an Ajax map site that is readable by existing ad engines—a fact that results in the display of irrelevant ads.

There is strong market demand for an effective map-based advertising model that will enable online map publishers to monetize their Web properties and provide advertisers an effective means of reaching mass audiences with defined geographic interests. The team of visualization and data interaction experts at IDELIX Software has tackled the challenge of map-based, geo-targeted advertising.

"The feedback we've received from the map mashup developers and advertisers involved in our testing cycle for Lat49 has been incredible," commented IDELIX Chief Technical Officer Dr. David Baar. "It is our hope that Lat49 will spur continuing rapid growth of online mapping solutions by providing developers with a more targeted and effective means to monetize their work. Lat49 represents a new paradigm in geospatially-coupled advertising."

On May 31st, Google revealed plans to integrate its AdSense advertising platform with Google Maps, meaning some push-pin graphics used at the maps site could be turned into mini-advertisements.

"Lat49 differs fundamentally from the future product release Google recently announced," noted IDELIX CEO Phil Attfield. "Lat49 is map-platform independent (it will work on Microsoft, Yahoo, MapQuest, Google, Placebase, and other mashups), it has a unique and transparent business model, controlled ad placement, and a range of ad formats. Lat49 is a stand alone solution that will also complement Google's mapplets feature to offer increasing options for advertisers and publishers."

Map publisher interested in learning more should contact tchester@lat49.com. Advertisers or ad broker interested in partnership opportunities should contact cmorrow@lat49.com.

Detailed information will be available July 2007 on www.lat49.com.

Google AdSense and Google Maps are trademarks of Google Inc.