Spir Communication, one of the leading French publishers of classifieds weeklies and websites, co-owner of 20 Minutes France and a subsidiary of Ouest France Group, concluded a business deal with Google to become its sales force locally and sell Google AdWords.
Spir employs 700 sales people though a network of 200 ad agencies spread all over France. This deal will allow Spir to get a commercial commission that will help compensate a heavy decline in its print classifieds revenue (-23.6% for the first quarter of 2009) and boost its online offers to local clients.
At the end of May, in a similar move, the radio group NRJ had signed a contract with Google to become its sale body to local advertisers through its ad network NRJ Global Regions.
