NEW YORK, April 17, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alloy Digital, LLC ("Alloy Digital" or the "Company"), a leading next generation media company, recognized for its portfolio of top-ranked content brands and proprietary networks, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Digital Broadcasting Group ("DBG"), one of the foremost distributors, creators, and producers of premium content and video advertising across digital media platforms. The transaction creates a powerful digital force by combining DBG's massive video syndication network with Alloy Digital's top-ranked digital distribution network, which includes some of the most popular digital entertainment brands.
DBG brings to Alloy Digital a strong portfolio of in-stream video partners across 2,600 publishers, its proprietary CLiP syndicated video player featuring original daily content programming, and a suite of innovative pre-roll ad units. Combined, the Company will reach nearly 80 million unique viewers monthly across its dedicated video platforms, according to comScore Video Metrix, and deliver more than 1.5B monthly streams1. The joined distribution assets significantly strengthen Alloy Digital's "all under one roof" vertically integrated capabilities, which encompass its leading owned content brands, which live on multiple dedicated screens with extensive social media reach, as well as talent management, content development, and production across all media platforms.
In addition, the acquisition further bolsters Alloy Digital's advertiser-focused category offerings across key demographics and existing consumer segments, which currently encompass Women's Lifestyle, Men's Lifestyle, Comedy, Entertainment and Gaming. The combined assets also provide Alloy Digital with immediate entry into new category platforms such as Sports, Tech, Health and Travel, as well as extending its market reach beyond its core P12-34 audience. The Alloy Digital Network, which includes owned content brands SMOSH, ClevverTV, Crushable, The Gloss, Gurl, Teen and The Escapist, among other premium partners, reaches more than 90 million consumers monthly, according to comScore, and counts more than 30 million social media followers across its multiple profiles.
"This acquisition instantly creates a powerhouse modern media company, building on a platform agnostic content and distribution model that reflects the rapid pace of change in consumer media consumption," stated Matt Diamond, CEO of Alloy Digital. "In a short period of time, Alloy Digital has grown multiple entertainment brands that now reign among the digital generation's most favored. With the added muscle of DBG's impressive video and CLiP platform we are further realizing a vision for delivering compelling content directly to both consumers and advertisers and effectively monetizing the value of our top content brands in a new media world."
DBG CEO and co-founder, Chris Young, along with co-founders Rick Kleczkowski and Joseph Gomes, will join the Alloy Digital leadership team with Young heading marketing as Chief Marketing Officer.
"The combination of our distribution channels and complementary assets creates an even more powerful and diversified media portfolio that delivers innovative brand experiences with unmatched scale," commented Mr. Young. "With growing market demand for contextual video programming and targeted pre-roll, we are energized to bring our clients and partners a nimble new model under Alloy Digital that truly meets any campaign objective and budget."
The purchase of DBG follows ABS Capital Partners' recent $30 million Series A investment in Alloy Digital, joining existing investor ZelnickMedia/ZM Capital. Alloy Digital has been on an aggressive acquisition spree over the past two years. Since July 2011, the Company has acquired five strong content creators, starting with SMOSH, an online leader in teen and young adult comedy content and the #1 most subscribed YouTube channel in the world, in July 2011; Generate, a next generation studio and talent management company, in January 2012; B5 Media, one of the fastest-growing women's lifestyle digital publishing and media networks, featuring sites such as The Gloss and Crushable, in April 2012; Clevver Media, YouTube's top entertainment news provider, including its flagship channel ClevverTV which recently surpassed 1B views, in June 2012; and The Escapist, a leader in video game culture and the modern day interests and lifestyle of the digital generation, in November 2012.
1 Unduplicated, unique users, according to January 2013 comScore Video Metrix
About Alloy Digital
Under one roof, Alloy Digital boasts the critical assets for a multi-platform, next generation media company targeting the highly-coveted, early-adopter 12-34 year-old demographic--Generate's cost-effective development, production and talent management, premium original programming from creators such as Smosh and Clevver, distribution across Alloy Digital's top-ranked network of media platforms and monetization through sponsorship, ad sales, social media and promotion. Alloy Digital's proprietary digital media network has ranked top in its category for more than three consecutive years, according to comScore, and attracts more than 90MM consumers each month with reach to over 57% of P12-34 internet users. Alloy Digital holds its position as offering a top-10 video network which delivers several hundred million monthly streams and includes award-winning Smosh, the #1 YouTube channel, as well as Shut Up! Cartoons, one of the fastest-growing YouTube premium channels. The network has attracted over 30MM followers combined across its dedicated social media profiles. Alloy Digital delivers digital campaigns for FORTUNE 500 advertisers and has received multiple industry accolades, including the prestigious ADVERTISING AGE Media Vanguard, an OMMA Award and a DIGIDAY Video Award. Please visit us at www.alloydigital.com.
About DBG
Digital Broadcasting Group (DBG; www.dbg.tv) is the leading creator, producer, and distributor of premium video content across digital media. DBG's Emmy Award winning in-house production team has created compelling original programming for such blue-chip brands as Infiniti, Hewlett Packard, Ford, Sprint, Mars, the U.S. Air Force, Kimberly Clark, Unilever, and Coca-Cola as well as co-produced and distributed of The Confession, the groundbreaking action/drama starring Golden Globe® and Emmy® award-winning actor Kiefer Sutherland and two-time Academy Award® nominee John Hurt. Through its comScore rated top 5 video syndication capabilities, comprised of close to 107 million monthly unique visitors, DBG distributes advertisers' pre-roll inventory as well as original web programming across 2,600 publishers. DBG, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dallas, was launched in 2007 by online video advertising pioneer Chris Young, former VH1 producer Joseph Gomes, Emmy Award-winning producer Gregg Backer, and digital media veteran Rick Kleczkowski.
About Zelnick Media/ZM Capital
ZelnickMedia is an investment and management enterprise focused on the media and communications industries. The firm is investing from its private equity fund, ZM Capital and currently has interests in interactive entertainment, mobile communications software and services, direct marketing, digital media, broadcast advertising, media services and publishing. www.zelnickmedia.com.
About ABS Capital Partners
At ABS Capital Partners, we have a simple mission–to invest in the very best late-stage growth companies. Our singular focus has allowed us to cultivate a deep understanding of what it takes to get promising businesses to the next level. Our priority is finding the best growth companies—not completing certain types of transactions or investing specific amounts of dollars. Our flexibility allows us to structure the right deal to support a company's growth trajectory and particular needs. We actively partner with CEOs to tackle the challenges of rapid expansion and create significant long-term value. Our partners are highly experienced at working with growth companies—each having spent between one and three decades in their industry as C-level executives, investment bankers, consultants or investors. ABS Capital Partners specializes in four growth sectors—business and education services, health care, media and communications, and technology—and has invested in over 100 growth companies over the past two decades. With over $2 billion raised since inception, including $500 million in its latest fund, ABS Capital continues to build on its strong reputation for teaming with CEOs and market leaders to deliver strong returns to investors. For more information, please visit www.abscapital.com.