NEW YORK, July 2, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IgnitionOne, a global leader in cloud-based digital marketing technology, today announced that it has completed a management-led buyout from its parent company, Dentsu. The buyout was funded by IgnitionOne's management team, employees, and backed by ABS Capital Partners, a leading later-stage growth company investor with over $2.5 billion raised since inception, and Persimmon Capital Partners, a diversified alternative investment company focused on direct, growth-oriented private investments.
IgnitionOne offers the only proprietary and fully integrated digital media buying optimization and marketing automation technology stack, the Digital Marketing SuiteSM (DMS). The cloud-based DMS enables sophisticated marketers to engage and convert new customers from across the full spectrum of digital media channels on a single technology platform. At the core of the DMS is the proprietary Engagement Scoring Algorithm which determines the value of a user in order to automate the delivery of the right message, at the right time, at the right cost, to a marketer's users on and off their website.
The DMS improves a marketer's digital performance in four major areas:
- Media Optimization: Buy, manage and algorithmically optimize all major forms of digital advertising, including Paid Search (SEM), Display, Facebook and Mobile
- Marketing Automation: Lead generation and sales conversion optimization solutions that drive actions from website visitors through content personalization, dynamic interaction, automated e-mail campaigns and more
- Cross-Channel Attribution: A flexible, multi-exposure attribution system that measures and allocates credit across every media exposure touched by marketers' clients and prospects, leveraging sophisticated Media Mix Exposure Modeling
- Audience Scoring: User-level Engagement Scoring that measures product interest and propensity to buy for each user to not only drive conversions but to help drive engagement and branding goals such as visits, revisits, time on site, and provide the best user experience for each user
As a pioneer in the cloud-based digital marketing technology space, the company has capitalized on the burgeoning shift in marketing dollars to digital combined with explosive growth in programmatic exchange-based media buying. The newly independent company further strengthens its leadership position with the advantages of a highly scaled and profitable business, a marquee world class client list, and a global footprint of more than 325 employees in 13 offices across North America, South America, Europe and Asia.
"Having the opportunity to be independently owned and operated will unleash enormous potential for our company," said Will Margiloff, CEO of IgnitionOne. "This autonomy will allow us to continue to innovate and further expand our one-of-a-kind media optimization and marketing automation platform to better serve our world-class clients."
IgnitionOne's management team will continue to innovate, grow and execute the strategy for the company. The Board will be made up of members of the management team, Deric Emry and Ralph Terkowitz of ABS Capital Partners and Robert Tobin of Persimmon Capital Partners. Netmining, the US audience targeting platform, will also be part of the transaction, and will be part of the newly formed IgnitionOne Group along with IgnitionOne's global operations.
"IgnitionOne is a great example of the kind of company we look for as investors, bringing a cohesive, sharp management team, strong client relationships and a one of a kind proprietary integrated technology platform," said Emry.
"We have great respect and trust in IgnitionOne's management and in the quality of the company's solutions and platform. Their independence will put them in a better position to work with more clients and help accelerate the development of their digital marketing solutions. Dentsu has benefitted greatly from this partnership and we will continue to work with IgnitionOne as their client, and continue to support their success," said Tim Andree, Director, Executive Vice President of Dentsu Inc.
IgnitionOne and Netmining were originally two of the three divisions of Innovation Interactive, which also included the digital agency, 360i. Mr. Margiloff was the founder and co-CEO of Innovation Interactive, which was the 750 person, 11 year old company he sold to Dentsu in 2010. IgnitionOne was originally founded as SearchIgnite in 2004, incorporating other proprietary technology assets in 2010, and has been and will continue to be a key technology differentiator behind the performance marketing successes of its former sister company, 360i.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
About IgnitionOne
IgnitionOne® is a global leader in cloud-based digital marketing technology providing a world-class proprietary platform and expert services to improve digital marketing performance. IgnitionOne's integrated Digital Marketing SuiteSM (DMS) empowers marketers to centralize, manage and optimize digital media across Search, Display, Social and Mobile, and understand cross channel attribution, while helping to optimize conversions on a marketer's website through Marketing Automation. At the core of the DMS is the proprietary Engagement Scoring Algorithm which determines the value of a user in order to automate the delivery of the right message, at the right time, at the right cost, to a marketer's users on and off their website.
IgnitionOne currently scores over 300 million users monthly in 55 countries and powers more than $30 billion in revenue each year for leading brands, including General Motors, DIRECTV, Ann Taylor, La Quinta, Travel Guard and Fiat, as well as advertising agencies such as 360i, GroupM and iProspect.
For more information, please visit http://www.ignitionone.com, follow the company on Twitter @ignitionone or visit the blog at http://www.digitalmarketingsuite.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. For more information, visit abscapital.com.
About Persimmon Capital Partners
Persimmon Capital Partners was founded in 2008 and is a diversified alternative investment company focused on direct, private investments primarily in private equity, real estate and alternative asset classes. A captive and fully discretionary capital base gives Persimmon the flexibility to invest in a wide variety of structures with both short and long-term investment horizons. As an active, growth-oriented investor, Persimmon looks to partner with strong management teams to build sustainable value and generate superior risk adjusted returns.