Springbox Parent Company, Enliven, to Merge with DG FastChannel® Creating Leading Digital Advertising Solutions Company
Austin, TX — May 8, 2008
- Combined Entity to Offer Advanced Digital Media Services, Ad Distribution, Internet Marketing and Online and Mobile Advertising Solutions -
- Transaction Valued at Approximately $98.0 Million -
DG FastChannel, Inc. (NASDAQ: DGIT) and Enliven Marketing Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ENLV) (“Enliven”) announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement to merge in a stock-for-stock transaction. The merger will combine DG FastChannel’s leadership in traditional advertising and media distribution services with Enliven’s groundbreaking digital marketing technologies for online, mobile and in-game advertising solutions. Austin-based companies, Springbox and Unicast, will play a role in this relationship as well. The proposed transaction values Enliven at approximately $98.0 million, inclusive of approximately $4.5 million of Enliven’s debt. The transaction firmly establishes DG FastChannel as a full participant in the Internet and mobile advertising space.
The world’s most esteemed brands and agencies rely upon DG FastChannel to manage and distribute their valuable advertising assets including national and local television and cable, radio, and print advertising content. DG FastChannel entered the new media sector in mid-2007, when it acquired a 12% equity ownership interest in Enliven Marketing Technologies. As a combined entity, DG FastChannel and Enliven will address the video market of the future more effectively, and the business combination will enhance the prospects of each company.
The combined company will provide a broad range of digital media services including:
- Traditional media distribution capabilities reaching television, cable, and television and cable networks, radio stations, and print outlets;
- Digital technology services including one of the industry’s most innovative rich media ad solutions, 3-D, Hologram, HD3D applications, campaign management, mobile and Internet ad delivery and flexible reporting toolsets via the Unicast brand infrastructure;
- Best-in-class digital marketing strategy, creative, media planning and website development services leveraging the Springbox interactive agency brand;
- Best-in-class digital marketing strategy, creative, media planning and website development services leveraging the Springbox interactive agency brand;
- Online business intelligence products including the world’s largest searchable database of television advertisements leveraging its SourceECreative® brand; and,
- Digital asset management and order management systems for ingest, archiving and collaborating virtually every type of media asset.
“Customers are demanding integrated solutions that facilitate management of rich and emerging digital marketing content across all media,” said Patrick Vogt, CEO of Enliven. “By combining DG FastChannel's innovative media solutions with Enliven’s unique Internet marketing and advertising technology, we will deliver a technology platform that will drive efficiencies and enhancements across the entire advertising value chain. Furthermore, DG FastChannel shares our industry vision and complements our strengths, namely technology leadership and customer focused innovation.”
For Springbox, the merger signals yet another triumph for the rapidly growing interactive agency. In October of 2007, Springbox was acquired by Enliven Marketing Technologies which allowed for the seamless optimization of services and resources for both companies. Soon thereafter, Springbox assimilated Austin-based marketing firm Makos into its folds, adding more skilled professionals to its already talented team. Then, in January of 2008, Springbox announced the opening of its LA office — one specializing in premium rich media creation, digital photography and 3D imaging.
Scott K. Ginsburg, Chairman and CEO of DG FastChannel said, “Industry response to DG FastChannel/Enliven’s offering of joint products that allow advertisers and agencies to re-purpose and re-configure their valuable broadcast video assets has been positive. The integration of our digital media services platform — order management, digital asset management and ad distribution functionality — in conjunction with Enliven’s capabilities to create, serve and measure rich media ads across thousands of on-line publishers, will bring together a very competitive product portfolio. Throughout this process, we will expand our relationships with advertisers and advertising agencies to distribute digital advertising content to any viable media outlet.”
This merger is expected to make DG FastChannel and its components one of the largest digital advertising and creative services companies in the world.
ABOUT DG FASTCHANNEL, INC.
DG FastChannel provides innovative, technology-based solutions to help advertisers and agencies work faster, smarter and more competitively. DG FastChannel delivers the standard in digital media services to the advertising, broadcast and publishing industries. The Company utilizes satellite and Internet transmission technologies and has deployed a suite of digital media intelligence and asset management tools designed specifically for the advertising industry, including creative and production resources, and digital asset management. The Company has an online media distribution network used by more than 5,000 advertisers and agencies, and over 21,000 online radio, television, cable, network and print publishing destinations. For more information visit www.dgfastchannel.com.
ABOUT ENLIVEN MARKETING TECHNOLOGIES
Enliven Marketing Technologies Corporation (formerly Viewpoint Corporation) is a leading Internet Marketing Technology Company, offering Internet marketing and online advertising solutions through a powerful combination of proprietary visualization technology, and a Premium Rich Media advertising platform for the creation, delivery and reporting of PRM. Enliven's family of brands include Unicast, the Internet Marketing and Advertising Technology Group, and Springbox, the Creative Digital Marketing Solutions Group. The company's technology and online advertising solutions are leveraged by some of the world's most esteemed brands, including AOL, GE, Sony, and Toyota. More information can be found at www.enliven.com. The company has approximately 140 employees with offices in New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA, Austin, TX and London, England.
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