Centro Brand Exchange Offers Premium Publishers 100 Percent Data Protection and High CPMs

Centro Partners with Krux to Create the Safest Ad Exchange Environment for Quality Publishers and Trusted Brands

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May 16, 2012, 09:00 ET

CHICAGO, May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Centro, the leading provider of media logistics software and services, today announces its partnership with Krux to provide the most secure, exclusive advertising exchange for premium publishers. An advanced platform connecting the highest quality publishers with the best content and brands, the Centro Brand Exchange is a private, invitation-only exchange platform supported by Krux's leading publisher data management technology.

As ad networks, ad exchanges and SSPs continue to promise increased value for publishers' unsold inventory, not only has their promise proven empty, they have become ushers allowing third-party companies to glean and repurpose valuable audience data from premium publishers. In fact, in a forthcoming study by Krux, upwards of 40 percent of all data being collected from publishers is being gathered via third party ad tags without the publisher's knowledge or consent. The Centro Brand Exchange, in choosing Krux, gives premium publishers the security they deserve from an ad exchange while allowing them to achieve higher CPMs through data-driven audience packaging.

The Centro Brand Exchange integrates Krux's data platform into the fabric of its exchange software, giving publishers an unprecedented level of audience data and security protection. The Centro Brand Exchange also gives publishers greater control over the quality and type of brands that appear on their sites. Together, Centro and Krux are closing the data security loophole associated with today's ad exchange, ad network and SSP offerings, while driving higher value and CPMs for premium publishers on their unsold inventory.

"Everyone in the exchange industry is talking about creating greater value for publishers' inventories, yet no one is delivering on the promise," said Shawn Riegsecker, Founder and CEO for Centro. "We recognize a significant gap in the market where high-quality publishers are being taken advantage of with no control and no good alternative solutions. Through our partnership with Krux, we've built the Centro Brand Exchange to be the highest quality ad exchange in the industry giving publishers more controls, high CPMs and the highest level of data protection available."

Centro's owned and operated ad exchange offers exclusive high-quality inventory from nearly 1,600 of the industry's most respected publishers.

"Media companies spend billions annually creating high quality valuable content and attracting premium audiences," said Christian A. Hendricks, Vice President for Interactive Media at The McClatchy Company, "while we have known about ad exchanges gleaning audience data from our sites for quite some time, solutions to the problem have been fleeting at best. With the Centro Brand Exchange, media companies now have a compelling solution designed to protect valuable audience data and reduce audience data leakage."

Centro extensively vets all publishers and advertisers invited to the exchange to ensure brands are appearing next to quality content and reaching valued and most-desired customers.

"In today's market, publishers have come to recognize that their audience data exists as a standalone asset with tremendous value. Unfortunately, legacy remnant sales channels have done a poor job recognizing and protecting that value," said Tom Chavez, co-founder and CEO of Krux. "Through the Brand Exchange, Centro is delivering a unique, premium, and trusted experience for both publishers and brands, and Krux is proud to partner with them in setting new market standards for media monetization and web data protection."

For more information on the Centro Brand Exchange, available as of April 2012, please visit www.centro.net/exchange.

About Centro
Centro is the leading provider of intelligent media logistics software and services for agencies, publishers, and advertisers. Since the company's founding in 2001, Centro makes it easier to buy and sell digital media as a partner to more than 2,900 agencies and 750 advertisers, helping them simplify complex media decisions, connections, and processes in an increasingly digital world. With its proprietary software, Transis, market-driven insight, and a commitment to outstanding customer service, Centro executes flawless digital media campaigns, resulting in better campaign performance, higher retention rates, and greater profitability for its clients. Headquartered in Chicago with 28 offices nationwide, Centro's success and commitment to culture has led to many accolades, including the Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Companies, Red Herring 100 and No. 1 on Crain's Chicago Business 2012 Best Places to Work for the second consecutive year in a row. For more information, visit www.centro.net.

About Krux
Founded in 2010, Krux delivers data fabric for the consumer web. The company's platform helps websites protect, manage, and monetize data across screens and sources. With Krux, websites give their consumers cooler, safer, faster, smarter web experiences. With Krux, consumers gain confidence that their favorite websites are operating under the plain light of day. Website operators in the US, Europe, and Asia have adopted Krux technology, including companies like The New York Times, NBC Universal, Sanoma, Recruit, Financial Times, BrainyQuote, GrooveShark, and The Wall Street Journal Digital Network. Find out more at www.krux.com.

SOURCE Centro