BOSTON, MA, September 11, 2008 — iProspect®, the Original®
Search Engine Marketing Firm, today announced that it has acquired privately held Range Online Media, a leading search and interactive marketing agency with a world-class client roster that includes Calvin Klein, Macys.com, Toshiba, The Sundance Channel, Hermes of Paris, Burberry, and Neiman Marcus.
The acquisition is a key part of iProspect's strategy to extend its leadership position in the search engine marketing arena. This deal increases iProspect's scale in the U.S. by more than 60 employees, bringing the agency's U.S. employee base to over 230. iProspect will also be adding Range Online Media's vertical expertise in the luxury retail, travel, and hospitality sectors, as well as its flourishing display advertising and emerging media businesses to its recognized expertise in paid search and search engine optimization.
iProspect, a subsidiary of Aegis North America and member of its Isobar network of best of breed digital marketing agencies, has established the iProspect brand in 21 offices and a total of 17 markets worldwide.
"Bringing the Range Online Media team into the iProspect family is a perfect fit on many levels, from our shared commitment to client relationships and world-class customer service to our established histories of industry leadership," said Robert Murray, president, iProspect. "Our respective client bases represent the most sophisticated and demanding online marketers in the world, and our combined expertise and technology leadership will serve as the core of a search marketing firm without rival."
Range Online Media was recently named for a second consecutive year to the Inc. 5,000 list of fastest growing private companies in America and to AdAge's top 25 search agencies. The firm also garnered the "Most Innovative Search Engine Optimization Campaign" Award at the first annual Search Engine Strategy Awards last month, where iProspect took home honors for the "Best BtoB Search Engine Marketing Campaign." Misty Locke, co-founder and president of Range Online Media, was also recently elected to the board of directors for Shop.org. Beyond the industry recognition, technology solutions and long history of leadership, iProspect will add to its Boston, San Francisco and Chicago offices a significant presence in the southeast, with Range Online Media's Fort Worth, Texas headquarters.
"Becoming a part of the iProspect and Aegis Media Americas organization is a source of pride for the Range Online Media team," said Locke. "We have, for years, had a great deal of respect for the iProspect team from a competitive standpoint, and we appreciate their work and expertise. Since 2001, we have been focused on offering our clients unprecedented customer service, innovative campaigns and fiscal accountability. We have extremely high standards at Range and it shows in our work and through our clients' success. iProspect is one of the only agencies in the business that I believe has comparable standards of excellence. So, joining forces with iProspect, and utilizing each group's strengths, will only further our ability to drive forward our customers' businesses."
Clients of iProspect and Range Online Media will continue to be serviced by the staff and office locations to which they are accustomed. New clients will have the opportunity to be serviced out of the geographic location of their choice or where the agency's vertical expertise best suits their needs.
For the time being it will be business as usual for both iProspect's and Range Online Media's clients, while the transition of two companies into one gradually takes place. Misty Locke will continue to serve as the president of Range Online Media, but will assume the new role of chief strategy officer of iProspect. Over time the Range Online Media brand will be carefully and strategically assimilated into the iProspect brand — but at a pace that does not jeopardize either firm's relationships with, or ability to service, its clients.
"Aegis Media — and our Isobar global network — certainly have a track record as world leaders when it comes to recognizing client demand for, and investing in, search marketing services. When we bought iProspect back in 2004, we knew we were acquiring the crown jewel of the search marketing industry, and since that time the agency has continued to dominate this space. With its acquisition of Range Online Media, the scale of iProspect's U.S. search offering has increased, and the breadth and depth of its service offerings has been enhanced. Along with the launches of multiple iProspect offices in Europe and Asia-Pacific over the last year, this acquisition further demonstrates the continued leadership and growth of the iProspect brand," said Sarah Fay, CEO, Aegis Media North America.
About iProspect
iProspect is the Original® Search Engine Marketing Firm. The
company helps many of the world's most successful brands maximize their online marketing ROI through natural search engine optimization, paid inclusion management, pay per click advertising management, shopping feed management and numerous other related services. By dramatically increasing business results for clients, iProspect helps to create search marketing heroes every day.
With offices in
Watertown,
Massachusetts, San Francisco, California, and Chicago, Illinois, as well as global search engine marketing offices, iProspect can be contacted at 1–800–522–1152, or by visiting www.iprospect.com.
CONTACT:
Colleen Reed
Media Relations Manager
iProspect
800.522.1152 x1203
colleen.reed@iprospect.com
About Range Online Media
Range Online Media is a leading search and interactive marketing agency that delivers measurable success through comprehensive, online marketing services, including paid search marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), online media placement and emerging media, strategic planning, performance optimization and more.
We currently offer strategic leadership and campaign management services to Cole Haan, Bergdorf Goodman, Accor Hotels North America, L'Occitane en Provence, The Container Store, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and many other smart clients. We were proud to have been named to the 2007 and 2008 top 25 search marketing agencies in America by AdAge and to Inc. Magazine's Inc. 5,000 list of fastest growing private companies in 2007 and 2008. Range has also received the highest average client satisfaction rating in the paid search industry by Jupiter Research for the last four consecutive years.
Range is headquartered in Texas and has offices in New York and Utah. Please visit our website at www.RangeOnlineMedia.com.
CONTACT:
Sarah Engel
Vice President — Marketing and Communications
Range Online Media
817.665.2135
sarah@rangeonlinemedia.com
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