Kelley Blue Book last week signed an agreement with Adicio, a supplier of Web-based, private-label classified advertising software and solutions for automotive advertisers, to include Kelley Blue Book's vehicle values in their new automotive Web platform. Adicio customers will now have access to Kelley Blue Book's new- and used-vehicle retail, trade-in and private party values. Adicio will also be able to offer new-vehicle reviews and advice articles from Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com editors.

Adicio's platform is available to millions of consumer daily through publications such as the Wall Street Journal and the San Diego Union Tribune. And Adicio is just one of several online partners that Kelley Blue Book has. Others include organizations and web sites in the automotive, finance, banking and government industries.

This alliance is a smart move by both companies. Making these ratings more accessible is a win-win for both Kelley Blue Book and Adicio. As a result of the deal, Adicio is able to provide a more enhanced service to its customers and offer content that the company couldn't provide on its own; and it will provide content from a well-known name such as Kelley Blue Book, which will also increase the value of Adicio's offerings. At the same time, Kelley Blue Book is able to continue to build its strong brand through its presence on Adicio customer sites and reach users that it might not otherwise have access to. For customers, it enables them to have a service that will guide them through the entire car-buying process; thus making both Kelley Blue Book and Adicio more valuable service providers for their respective customer bases. Expect Kelley Blue Book to continue to add to its list of partners and for Adicio to seek out alliances that will enable it to further bolster the features and functionality of its platform.