News Briefs

The Desire Company, an expert product reviews and education solutions provider, is putting its weight behind retail media following its latest Series B funding round and new solution launch. 

The company said in a statement that this funding infusion brings its valuation to $97 million and will allow it to capitalize on the increasing demand for “authentic, expert-driven content,” particularly from retail media networks (RMNs) and the Federal Trade Commission’s “heightened focus on transparent marketing practices.”

The funding also coincides with the launch of Desire’s Retail RMEDI 360 (Retail Media Expert Distribution Ignitor), a platform offering brands and retailers a suite of tools to integrate expert product education throughout the shopper experience and streamline the management and distribution of expert-driven video content. 

“With the close of our Series B raise, and the launch of The Desire Company’s Retail RMEDI 360 platform, we’re not just introducing a new product, we’re setting a new standard for retail media technology,” Eric Sheinkop, co-founder and CEO, said in the statement. “Brands and retailers are seeking to expand beyond their traditional commerce media models and integrate trusted product information directly into their shopper’s purchasing journey. Our platform promises to transform how shoppers access product education at the crucial point of decision.” 

Key features include:

• Content Integration Across Consumer Journey: Embeddable video content, from social media to product detail pages, email and SMS for post-purchase engagement.
• Shoppable QR Codes for In-Store Use: Unique shoppable QR codes that give consumers access to expert product education content.
• Analytics Dashboard: Video performance insights.

The Desire Company’s network of experts spans 114 verticals — from Olympic athletes to chefs, nutritionists, veterinarians and celebrity makeup artists — sharing real-world experiences in authentic video reviews.

This latest funding round will expand the company’s expert community and elevate content production capabilities to cater to the growing needs of RMNs, per the statement.

Momentum Worldwide has appointed Adriano Lombardi as senior vice president, executive creative director, of its burgeoning commerce practice across North America.

Lombardi is an award-winning leader with a wealth of experience in the sector. He has led commerce initiatives for Coca-Cola across Mexico and Latin America. He also has held prominent roles at VML and Geometry, with a focus on building global brand platforms.

"I'm thrilled to join Momentum Worldwide," Lombardi said in a news release. "Commerce is present in all aspects of our lives — we shop 24/7 anywhere, and for me, that is the best brief of all. I look forward to working with the team to create impactful and innovative work for our clients."

The addition of Lombardi underscores Momentum’s commitment to enhancing its commerce capabilities and delivering best-in-class experiences in its work.

"Adriano's innovative approach and deep understanding of the commerce landscape make him the perfect fit for Momentum," said James Robinson, Momentum chief creative officer, North America. "His ability to blend creativity with strategic insight will be key in driving further success with our clients."

Momentum is excited to have Lombardi on board, said Jennifer Olliges, svp, commerce lead at Momentum Worldwide.

"His extensive experience and proven track record in commerce will further strengthen our capabilities and help us continue to deliver exceptional value to our clients."

Dollar General Media Network (DGMN) head of operations Charlene Charles will take the stage alongside Angela Myers, Goodway Group senior vice president of retail media, at the Path to Purchase Institute’s Retail Media Summit (RMS), June 25-27 in Chicago. 

In the June 27 session titled “The Retail Media Evolution: Perceptions and Insights from Brands, Agencies and Retailers,” the pair will discuss:

• How budget allocations are shifting. 
• What components shape today's retail media strategies.
• The factors influencing investments and partnerships within retail media networks. 
• Diverse perspectives on program management, challenges faced and key performance indicators driving campaign success today.

They'll also unveil findings from a research report by Goodway Group and P2PI on the "Retail Media Evolution,” capturing perceptions and insights from brands, agencies and retailers. 

[In related news, DGMN recently announced a partnership and significant move to more effectively reach its largely rural shopper base through expanded omnichannel ads and attribution insights.]

Charles, who joined Dollar General in 2021 and has more than 16 years of industry experience, will also share her first-hand experience as leading DGMN and its position in the retail media ecosystem. Myers brings a wealth of experience of her own, including a nine-year tenure at Oracle and her strong background in data/analytics and retail media.

Learn more about RMS Chicago and the packed agenda, and register now. 

Videotel Digital, a digital signage solutions manufacturer, has joined forces with audio technology company Audfly to help enhance how businesses engage their audiences through digital signage.

The collaboration integrates Audfly's directional audio speakers and technology (including patents from Turtle Beach Corp. audio tech company HyperSound) with Videotel Digital's digital signage players and interactive solutions to create immersive audio experiences with visuals that capture consumers’ attention.

As an authorized service center for Audfly, Videotel Digital will provide support and maintenance services for a subset of its product line, according to a media release. This partnership allows Videotel Digital to offer Audfly's range of products, including wall-mounted, ceiling-mounted and glass-mounted directional audio solutions.

The partnership was solidified at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, where both companies showcased their latest innovations, including Audfly's "glass technology,” its range of see-through glass directional speakers.

"We are thrilled to partner with Audfly to bring cutting-edge directional audio technology to our customers," Lisa Schneider, executive vice president of marketing at Videotel Digital, said in the release. "With Audfly's exceptional products and our seamless integration capabilities, we are setting a new standard for immersive digital experiences."

Artificial intelligence and machine learning technology company Topsort has launched a low-code integration system. 

Low code is a software development approach that requires minimal need for coding and less time when creating digital solutions, enterprise applications and other use cases. 

Topsort’s solution enables marketplaces to integrate its retail media infrastructure with “just a few lines of code” in as little as one hour, versus the 3-6 months the process has traditionally taken, Topsort said in a media release.

“The low-code integration represents a paradigm shift, demolishing barriers that previously discouraged many businesses from establishing retail media platforms,” the company said. By simplifying and accelerating the integration process, Topsort enables retailers “of all sizes” to develop and scale their retail media offerings for a “cookieless, bidless and keywordless advertising landscape.”

Topsort retail media infrastructure includes:

• Auction integration: Topsort's AI auto-bidding algorithm selects ads to display by evaluating real-time bids.
• Self-service and admin platforms: Tracks key metrics such as clicks, impressions and purchases, providing insights into ad performance and user engagement.
• Real-time reporting: All campaign data is accessible in real-time within comprehensive reporting dashboards.

Topsort said a key factor in making this integration possible was its “adaptable proxy solution,” which acts as a middleman (aka proxy) between a marketplace's search or filtering results and the origin server. The solution merges relevant auction data into the results while maintaining performance and compatibility with various tech stacks.

“We always hear that retail media is a ‘not if, but when’ priority amongst the retailers and marketplaces we talk to, partially due to the large startup cost and resources,” Francisco Larrain, chief technology officer and co-founder of Topsort, said in the release. “Faced with integration timelines that can take three months or longer, the time, expense and resource burden has been impossible for a lot of companies to take on, especially when they are in the early days of their retail media evolution and just want to see results fast.”

Topsort is a 3-year-old “AI-first” retail media platform that helps retailers and marketplaces, such as Poshmark, Unilever, Coca-Cola, L'Oreal, General Mills and Phillips develop ad networks in a cookie-less world. 

Ironmark, a full-service marketing and communications firm, acquired two companies – Deliver Media and L&D Mail Masters – to bolster its marketing services portfolio.

• Based in Tampa, Florida, Deliver Media uses first-party data and predictive analytics powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning to launch multi-channel marketing campaigns.
• Based in New Albany, Indiana, L&D Mail Masters is a direct mail firm that offers direct marketing solutions, from campaign design to implementation, in a privacy compliant SOC 2 HIPAA-certified environment.

“These acquisitions significantly broaden Ironmark’s geographic reach, providing companies and brands with the innovations and technology they need to help them continue to grow their businesses,” Jeff Ostenso, CEO, Ironmark, said in a media release.

This move expands Ironmark’s direct marketing solutions to include services powered by predictive analytics and target modeling, making it easier for its clients to find and engage more customers.

Founded in 2013, Deliver Media helps its partners, such as franchises like Domino’s Pizza, leverage customer data and predictive analytics to better understand how to interact with customers and foster deep relationships that lead to repeat business. 

L&D Mail Masters was founded in 1986 by longtime CEO Diane Fischer. The firm’s privacy compliant direct marketing solutions are used in a range of industries, including insurance, financial services and healthcare. 

“We are thrilled to be joining forces with Ironmark,” added Jill Peden, vice president, sales and marketing, L&D Mail Masters. “Under Jeff Ostenso’s leadership, Ironmark has become a marketing powerhouse with first-class services in digital and physical asset creation and management. Ironmark can now take the data Deliver uncovers and marry it with the physical output that L&D can accomplish in a secure environment.”

All employees from both companies will be incorporated into the Ironmark team in Florida and Indiana. Deliver Media CEO Sean Johnson retains his role as CEO and is also appointed chief strategy officer for Ironmark. Peden joins Ironmark as vice president of sales and marketing. Both appointments have gone into effect.

These are the latest in a series of acquisitions, all designed to expand Ironmark’s suite of offerings (16 over the course of 20 years, with 12 of the 16 owners still with the company) as Ironmark continues to evolve and expand in reach and capabilities.