COMPANIES
Internet Trolls, Beware
What is it? ReputationChanger.com acquires Brand.com and adopts the latter’s name.
WIIFM? The company intends to protect online reputations of brands and individuals by clearing unsavory content, optimizing positive search results, and monitoring reputation across major search engines and social media networks.
Who’s talking? “Companies and individuals needlessly suffer when trolls post defamatory comments and when their name or brand is mixed up with others that have received negative attention,” says Brand.com President Michael Zammuto. ”We give brands real peace of mind, and that is why there is no better name for our service than Brand.com.”
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Matomy Media Group Acquires MobAff
What is it? Matomy Media Group, a performance marketing company, acquires mobile affiliate network MobAff to be integrated within MediaWhiz. The latter has recently consolidated its sub-brands MonetizeIt, White Delivery, and rebranded its SEO service TLA into MediaWhiz SEO.
WIIFM? As a result of the acquisition, MobAff’s mobile marketing technology will be integrated into MediaWhiz’s affiliate network.
Who’s talking? “I am confident that this acquisition will benefit the MATOMY and MediaWhiz customer bases, offering our advertisers and affiliates cutting-edge technologie as well as greater audience reach and effective results in their mobile advertising campaigns,” says Matomy Media Group CEO Ofer Druker.
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IgnitionOne Detaches from Dentsu
What is it? IgnitionOne, a cloud-based digital marketing tech provider, finalizes a management buyout from parent company Dentsu.
Who’s talking? “Having the opportunity to be independently owned and operated will unleash enormous potential for our company,” says CEO Will Margiloff.
PRODUCTS
Salesforce.com Broadens its Horizons
What is it? Salesforce.com extends social listening coverage Radian6 to China and Russia.
WIIFM? The company states that the expansion will allow brands to listen to conversations and engage with users on the top social media networks in these countries, such as Sina Weibo and VKontakte (VK.com).
Who’s talking? “With customers in more than 160 countries, being able to listen to the conversations on Sina Weibo and VK.com with Salesforce Radian6 will help us get a more complete view of the conversation around our brand,” says Rod Strother, Lenovo‘s director, digital and Social Centre of Excellence.
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Urban Airship Propels App Engagement
What is it? Urban Airship, a mobile solutions provider, introduces enhancements to its app engagement platform.
WIIFM? The platform aims engage the entire app audience, as well as specific segments, with targeted messaging and rich in-app content. The updates also include a more intuitive interface, and improved analytics.
Who’s talking? “Not only will it be easier than ever to drive more compelling experiences across your entire app audience, organizations can now richly serve individuals’ needs and gain their feedback in formats proven to be more effective than simple text-based messages,” says CEO Scott Kveton.
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LeadiD: Know Before You Dial
What is it? LeadiD, an arbiter of media transactions, releases a TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) software app.
WIIFM? The app aims to make it easier for marketers to comply with the new TCPA regulations by granting them access to authoritative compliance records, and ensure that consent was expressly provided prior to the lead event.
Who’s talking? “With new rules in effect this October, it is more important than ever for lead buyers to be able to know definitively if an acceptable disclosure was present on the lead form, and also document whether or not the consumer provided express consent to be contacted by the lead buyer,” says CEO Ross Shanken.
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Penton Buys the Farm (Lists)
What is it? Penton, a B2B media company, acquires 11 new files from Farm Progress.
WIIFM? The new lists, to be managed by MeritDirect, considerably expand Penton’s coverage of the agricultural vertical to include titles such as Prairie Farmer, Kansas Farmer, Wisconsin Agriculturist, and The Farmer
EXECUTIVE MOVES
Who is it: Jennifer Lawton is promoted to president of MakerBot, a company that specializes in desktop 3D printing.
What’s her role: In her new role, Lawton will oversee the proposed merger between MakerBot and Stratasys.
Where was she prior: Lawton had been chief strategy officer at MakerBot. She was also the co-founder of Net Daemons Associates (NDA), an information technology consulting firm.
Why was she appointed: “Jenny is a huge asset to MakerBot,” notes CEO Bre Pettis. “She’s my right-hand. Without Jenny we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
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Who is it: Sara Fahim is appointed director of strategy at SelectNY‘s Los Angeles office.
What’s her role: Fahim will be responsible for new business development and strategic planning for all P&G Salon Professional brands, such as Wella, and Clairol Professional.
Where was she prior: Fahim most recently served as strategist at Phenomenon, Inc. She has also held key roles at TBWACHIATDAY, FP7, and Saatchi & Saatchi in Dubai.
Why was she appointed: “In Sara we’ve found an imaginative and strategic practitioner with a proven track record of finding good ideas and making them great,” says Managing Director Angela Pih.
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Who is it: BMA announces its Board of Directors: Al Maag is named executive director. The new board will be chaired by Kathy Button Bell, and Stephen Liguori will be occupying the vice chair position.
What’s his role: Maag’s role will be to oversee the execution of the board’s strategic plans, and contributing to chapter growth.
Where was he prior: Maag is a retired chief communications officer, and a former BMA chair.
Why was he appointed: “I am delighted Al Maag has accepted the role of Executive Director,” says Chairman Katherine Button Bell. “He will be crucial to the acceleration of the BMA’s influence and ability to help BtoB marketers grow their careers.”
