Friedler responds and talks about what GameDAILY brings to AOL and vice versa.

Friedler: Well, I will talk specifically about what is going to be available on GameDAILY. Now obviously, we can tie in our content to all of the power behind the AOL Network. So, for example, if there was a marketer that really wanted to do a mainstream push to get their game in front of more than a traditional gaming audience, we can obviously do that by nature of our audience, and then leverage that messaging across different channels of AOL, like on the video channel, or on the kids channel, like AOL Red, or KOL, or even on the home screen. I have spoken to some of the advertising people here, and there is definite interest to be able to do something that is spearheaded from the gaming side, but the media and the advertising experience does not live exclusively on the AOL Games platform, it brings people around an experience.

And, I think one of those great examples going on right now, in fact, is AOL's Gold Rush, which is a participatory online game, which also has a TV component. And that is very mainstream, that is very broad based, and it is doing really tremendous traffic.

Berens: Yes, we have been watching that with some interest. Let's talk about specific creative opportunities. One of the things before the acquisition that was terrific about GameDAILY, and which I think will continue to be terrific, is you guys would do unusual ad units -- you would do peels, you would do skins -- and, really give advertisers an opportunity to work hand in glove with you as a publisher. How is that changing or growing, or transmogrifying with the acquisition?

Friedler: Well, I think it is really interesting, because obviously we have learned a lot from AOL, and I think they have learned a lot from us. In fact, in the early interview when we were acquired, Ralph Rivera, the general manager said that, "It is more like GameDAILY bringing our culture over to AOL." So, for example, the corner peel is a unit, which I am really excited about, and we have done very well with. And, we actually brought that unit to the larger AOL ad team, and they liked it so much that they are planning to integrate it across all of AOL. So, that opportunity will be available not just on GameDAILY, but in any area on AOL some time in the near future.

Berens: And, for an advertiser who is interested in pursuing this, is this something that they reach out to the ad sales team at AOL? Do they reach out to the business unit, in particular? Because it is not an IAB standard unit.

Friedler: No, it is not. I have got to tell you that in terms of an organizational point of view, AOL is incredibly well-organized. All of their sales people have web-based access to all of the channels, and all of the different advertising units. So, they would just talk to whoever their salesperson is and say, "Hey, I am interested in this or that," and they can come up with that solution. And then, to the extent that it involves content based stuff, that is where our editorial team would pow-wow and see if there is something that might be of interest. 

For example, towards the end of the year, we are doing our Holiday Guide-- our Holiday Shopping Guide. We are doing our Family Guide. And, there are a bunch of companies that are interested in participating from a sponsored content, advertising point of view-- not just: put up my ads. But, "Hey, we would like to have some relevant content about what things parents should think about in the holiday shopping season," and a company that is relevant is then linked with it. So, those are the type of opportunities where the sales team then comes to the programming and says, "Hey, what can you guys do?"

Berens: One of the things about GameDAILY is-- you have got a robust blog. And AOL has made an extraordinary infrastructural investment in community. It has the dominant -- at least in this country -- Instant Messenger client. So, how is community -- online community -- going to be playing out with the gaming community, on both the casual gaming side, and on the GameDAILY side? What do you guys think is going to be going on?

Friedler: I mean, I think community is the most important element of gaming. I mean, it is about involvement. And if you get people involved, they are going to play more; they are going to spend more time there; they are going to have a better experience. And ultimately, they are going to come back, and you are going to be able to sell more ads. AOL made a radical move obviously two months ago by saying, "You know what?  Our business is all about selling ads. So, we need all the units within AOL to think like pure web publishers…," which is really good for people like us, because that is our DNA, that is our bread and butter, and that is where we have come from all along. 

So, what we are excited about doing is building out more elements of, more community elements on the video gaming side. For example, a few weeks ago we launched a branded AIM client with a company called SCI:  Super Computer International, called PlayLinc. And, there is a GameDAILY branded AIM client, so you can chat, you can use that as your AIM client-- so you can AIM with it, just like you do usually. And, you can join friends and jump in and play multi-player games. 

Friedler: So, that is something where AOL is leveraging the huge built-in community it has with AIM, and bringing other people to a gaming experience, both from a video gaming point of view, and soon from a casual gaming point of view. You know, there are some things in the works with the casual gaming…stuff that I cannot really talk about, because it is not really my expertise. And, in terms of what is going on there are some things coming down the line there that are really going to be highlighting the importance of community.

Berens: And, is Super Computer a competitor or a complement to the Xfire client, which is-- Xfire was owned by Viacom?

Friedler: It is. It is.

Next: Friedler explains how to get involved with holiday marketing