RVINE, Calif., Jul 18, 2007 -- Autobytel Inc. (Nasdaq:ABTL), a leading automotive Internet marketing services company announced today that David Armitage has joined the company as Vice President, Advertising.
Armitage, a seasoned advertising sales professional, has experience that stretches far into both the Internet and automotive industries, most recently through Edmunds.com and more recently revver.com. In 2005, Armitage's strategic focus on sales and innovative new advertising programs was instrumental to Edmunds.com's ad revenues surpassing its lead program revenues.
"As we launch MyRide.com, our new flagship consumer site, David's creative expertise in online automotive marketing and social networking strategy, coupled with his extensive career in advertising sales and the online industry, will be of great advantage," said Autobytel President and CEO Jim Riesenbach. "As the Internet continues to out-impact traditional media for automotive shoppers, automotive marketers are increasingly focusing online for new and better ways to reach their customers.
I am very pleased that David has joined us in our mission to further enhance the value and diversity of our advertising services, and to expand them deeper into the automotive industry - and beyond."
Most recently, Armitage was SVP of advertising sales for revver.com, a viral video network that supports free and unlimited sharing of user generated content. Previously, he oversaw advertising and sales efforts as Executive Director of Advertising & Sales for Edmunds.com, Inside Line and Carspace - all Edmunds.com properties. Before that, Armitage was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for PRIMEDIA's Digital Automotive and Motorcycle Groups. He has also held positions at Freerealtime.com, Petersen Publishing Company, Chiat/Day Advertising, and Dentsu, Young & Rubicam where be began his career as an account executive and media planner.
"I am very excited at the range of products Autobytel is providing for online marketers, particularly through MyRide.com, which is unlike anything else on the Internet," said Armitage. "In addition to its rapidly growing multi-media automotive community, MyRide.com's ability to intuitively interpret consumers' needs across the buying and ownership life cycle will mean new opportunities for automotive marketers to target in-market consumers with relevant marketing messages. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the success of MyRide.com as it moves out of its Beta phase to broad market rollout, and most of all to our customers' marketing success."
About Autobytel Inc.
Since launching the first car-buying website in 1995, Autobytel Inc.'s (Nasdaq:ABTL) mission has been to empower automotive consumers with the tools and information they need to make smart, well-informed vehicle purchasing and ownership decisions. The company has helped millions of car shoppers and generated billions of dollars in car sales for dealers. Today, the company's innovative, consumer-driven flagship site, MyRide.com, currently available in a public Beta Edition, expands the company's mission across the automotive purchase and ownership life cycle to meet the wide-ranging auto-related needs and interests of today's Internet-savvy automotive community. As the first vertical search experience for the automotive marketplace, MyRide.com delivers relevant, well-organized search results from across the web, integrated with entertaining multi-media and user-generated content on topics ranging from purchasing and aftermarket, to ownership and enthusiasm.
By providing a convenient and comprehensive automotive consumer experience across the purchase and ownership lifecycle, Autobytel provides new value and touch-points for automotive marketers. Through MyRide.com and Autobytel's marketing network, the company connects dealerships with a steady, diverse stream of exceptionally motivated, serious shoppers, while providing both dealers and manufacturers with precision-targeted brand and product marketing opportunities. The company's advanced web-based advertising and marketing programs also help dealers and manufacturers build relationships with customers, as well as help them to efficiently manage and convert online business.