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Company that Set the Standard for Relevant E-mail Marketing to Help Clients
Deliver Targeted Mobile Campaigns
e-Dialog today announced it is extending its mobile marketing capabilities with the acquisition of M3 Mobile Marketing. M3 creates and executes full-service and compelling mobile marketing programs for global enterprises that raise brand awareness, enhance the customer experience and drive sales through innovative text and mobile Web strategies. e-Dialog is a proven provider of advanced e-mail marketing services and solutions within the GSI Commerce (NASDAQ: GSIC) Marketing Services division.
Mobile marketing is one of the fastest growing marketing channels today with predicted four-fold growth over the next four years. “The mobile arena holds so much promise and many marketers are excited but simply don’t know where to start,” said John Rizzi, president and CEO of e-Dialog. “Nearly all mobile users are carrying a text-enabled phone right now,” he continued, “To ignore that reach would be missing a tremendous opportunity. The passionate team at M3 has already navigated the early challenges of this channel and has built award-winning solutions from which marketers new to mobile can immediately benefit. Our clients can now devise and implement marketing programs that let them create a meaningful customer experience on mobile devices.”
Among its capabilities, M3 provides:Mobile Strategists: M3’s team helps clients launch and manage strategic mobile marketing campaigns by leveraging the proper mobile technologies. The M3 team works closely with clients to identify new opportunities, integrate mobile into their marketing mix, and create industry-leading programs.
Mobile Platform: M3’s proprietary platform, COREtxt, was developed for both full-service and self-service applications. It has the ability to segment by any attribute that is stored in the client’s custom mobile database. Since all of COREtxt features operate in real-time, broadcast segments will reflect the most up-to-date mobile activity.
Best Practices: M3 is focused on regulatory and carrier compliance and works directly in line with the MMA & CTIA guidelines. They help clients understand mobile marketing best practices and provide guidance on proper copy and other best practices.
Reporting & Tracking: COREtxt has several live reporting features that include opt-in, gender, age, geography, customer preference and more. M3 utilizes multiple tactics to allow their clients to track campaign success through unique identifier codes.
Data Integration: M3 builds data exchange services to import data into COREtxt and they also have the ability to export data into their client’s CRM system. They utilize both batch feeds, and for solutions that require immediate action, a Web service API.
“e-Dialog is a company that has been helping organizations effectively connect with consumers through e-mail for years,” said Gary Ackerman, M3’s president and co-founder. “Our companies share the same core values as it relates to intelligent marketing, and we look forward to empowering e-Dialog’s expansion into mobile. The multichannel marketing vision this represents will truly pay dividends to clients and their consumers.”
“We’re catering to an active audience,” said Jeff Hennion, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, e-commerce, of Dick’s Sporting Goods. “That means our marketing campaigns must be multifaceted to reach them with relevant messages wherever they may be. Mobile marketing ensures we can take full advantage of the reach the mobile channel offers and create a continuous relevant dialog with our customers.”
M3 will operate as a subsidiary of e-Dialog. Its full team will remain intact and report to e-Dialog CEO, John Rizzi.
Gridley & Company, a New York City-based boutique investment bank, provided
e-Dialog and GSI with advisory services on the deal.
About e-Dialog
Established in 1997, e-Dialog is a proven provider of intelligent e-mail marketing solutions. Through a unique combination of strategic services and relevance enabling technologies, e-Dialog empowers marketers to take meaningful action on their data in order to deliver contextually targeted communications to customers. Some of the world’s most recognized brands, including AirTran Airways, Avis Budget Group, Boots, British Airways, CBS, CVS/pharmacy, Nintendo, the NFL, PETCO, Reuters, the Royal Bank of Scotland group of companies, and The TJX Companies, have partnered with e-Dialog to enhance their permission-based e-mail marketing efforts and maximize long-term customer value.
e-Dialog is one of the only e-mail service providers consistently recognized by the top analyst firms for both outstanding service and first-class technology. In September 2006, e-Dialog was the first e-mail service provider to achieve certification for ISO 27001:2005, the global information security standard. e-Dialog, with offices in Boston, London, New York, and Seattle, is a wholly owned subsidiary of GSI Commerce Inc. (Nasdaq: GSIC). For more information, visit www.e-dialog.com.
About M3 Mobile
Established in February 2007, M3 Mobile is a mobile marketing company whose focus is on leveraging mobile technology through a full-service model. The company assists global brands in targeting their customers in order to promote brand awareness, drive revenue and create a unique consumer experience. M3 Mobile works closely with each client to create a mobile marketing strategy that works for their demographic. M3 Mobile differs from other mobile marketing companies by not only handling the technology and execution of mobile campaigns, but also offering strategy, creative and technology integration to support and customize their clients’ needs.
About GSI Commerce
GSI Commerce® is a leading provider of services that enable e-commerce, multichannel retailing and interactive marketing for large, business-to-consumer (b2c) enterprises in the U.S. and internationally. We deliver customized solutions through an e-commerce platform, which is comprised of technology, fulfillment and customer care and is available on a modular basis or as part of an integrated, end-to-end solution. We offer a full suite of interactive marketing services through two divisions, TrueAction™ and e-Dialog. Additionally, we provide brands and retailers a platform for online private sales through RueLaLa.com, and an online, off-price marketplace, SmartBargains.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements made in this release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “guidance,” “potential,” “opportunity,” “continue,” “project,” “forecast,” “confident,” “prospects,” “schedule” and similar expressions typically are used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business of GSI Commerce. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors which may affect GSI Commerce’s business, financial condition and operating results include the effects of changes in the economy, consumer spending, the financial markets and the industries in which GSI Commerce and its clients operate, changes affecting the Internet and e-commerce, the ability of GSI Commerce to develop and maintain relationships with strategic partners and suppliers and the timing of its establishment, extension or termination of its relationships with clients, the ability of GSI Commerce to timely and successfully develop, maintain and protect its technology, confidential and proprietary information, and product and service offerings and execute operationally, the ability of GSI Commerce to attract and retain qualified personnel, and the ability of GSI Commerce to successfully integrate its acquisitions of other businesses and the performance of acquired businesses. More information about potential factors that could affect GSI Commerce can be found in its most recent Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other reports and statements filed by GSI Commerce with the SEC. GSI Commerce expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
e-Dialog Media Contacts:
Jean Borgman
781-869-2008
pr@e-dialog.com
GSI Commerce, Inc.
Investors
Steve Somers, CFA
610-491-7068
ir@gsicommerce.com
