adMarketplace, the first auction-based market for buyers and sellers of graphical online advertising, announced today the availability of the industry's first automated system for accepting and serving ads created in Macromedia's Flash format. The enhanced capabilities of Flash allow advertisers to augment their marketing messages with smooth, colorful animation and rich interactivity, such as multiple links from the same ad and expansion of elements beyond the ads' traditional borders.

Until now, ad networks have been unable to offer an automated, self-service system for accepting and serving Flash ads due to security concerns with click-through URLs, which could lead users to unsuitable sites or harmful viruses. adMarketplace has developed and implemented a method to qualify a Flash ad's click-through URL and accurately track results for reporting. Advertisers can automatically upload their own Flash creative into the system or take advantage of the Flash Ad Creation Tool, a template-based free service for advertisers using adMarketplace.

"If a picture can say more than a thousand text links, then the colorful, cinema-quality animation and powerful interactivity of Flash technology speaks volumes for a marketer's message," said Jim Waltz, President and CEO of adMarketplace. "We have clearly seen that serving animated ads not only increases the likelihood of driving visitors, but also develops brand awareness and consistency for a marketer. With adMarketplace's automated Flash creation and delivery system, advertisers can run animated campaigns more efficiently than with any other marketplace or network."

The adMarketplace Network is fully transparent for advertisers, displaying competitive bids, ads, and linking URLs. The cost-per-click ads are served on a rotational basis to unique users in sequence, from highest rank to lowest, giving top bidders the first shot at every user in their target audience across the Network. The Network's self-service format allows advertisers to begin, edit, update or suspend their campaigns at any time. In addition to Flash, adMarketplace accepts GIF, animated GIF, HTML, and third party re-directs.

For the past 20 months, the adMarketplace technology has also powered eBay Keywords, an online tool for eBay merchants and sellers to promote their stores and items by search terms on eBay.

For more information on adMarketplace, please visit http://www.admarketplace.net.