Online ad network Collective Media buys ad targeting company Personifi

Collective Media‘s own market survey shows that advertisers think there are too many undifferentiated ad networks out there. Collective Media is one of the larger ad networks, itself. It ranked as the 21st largest one in the U.S. this past April, according to comScore, with 88 unique million visitors — 46 percent of U.S. internet users saw ads. The company runs ad campaigns for brand advertisers, that typically run on large media sites and various verticals, like travel sites.

By New York-based Collective’s own implications, then, the larger ad networks have an advantage in attracting advertiser dollars. Perhaps to help itself do that, Collective has purchased contextual ad targeting company Personifi for a price “in the low eight figures,” chief executive Joe Appendi says. The two companies have been working together for more than nine months — Personifi helps ad networks and exchanges target ads based not just on keywords, but phrases found on a page, along with other data.

Fort Wort, Texas-based Personifi has deals with other companies, including ad exchange AdBrite, which offers Personifi’s targeting technology, along with competitors, in its new “marketplace” for third party ad optimization companies.

Collective, meanwhile, also offers ad placement software used by many of its clients, including some large media organizations.

Collective itself isn’t disclosing more numbers. However, it raised an undisclosed round of funding late last year, apparently in part to make purchases.