DOmedia, an online marketplace for buyers and sellers of out-of-home and alternative advertising media, acquired the Buyers Guide to Outdoor Advertising. The guide is usually referred to as the "Green Book" because of its green cover and it contains listings for hundreds of out-of-home media properties across the U.S., including rate and contact information for each location.
Interestingly, the book will become truly "green" under its new ownership. DOmedia plans to convert the print publication to an online only resource. All media and contact information for Green Book clients will now be accessible via the DOmedia website.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. This acquisition follows DOmedia's merger with Out of Home Connect in March. This latest deal will certainly help DOmedia achieve its goal of becoming a main source of information for the out-of-home industry.
Both buyers and sellers using the Green Book will undoubtedly benefit from the publication's transition online. Both segments will likely yield more productive results.
However, it's difficult to ignore the irony of the Green Book going "green." For most publishers, transitioning their products from print to online is a cost issue. Yet, most customers are accepting of the switch because of the ease-of-use and convenience that online versions afford. I'm sure most publishers (or their customers) never gave much thought to the fact that such a business strategy was good for the environment as well. It's a nice added bonus.