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Hearst has been a joint owner of Marie Claire US for 27 years. Shutterstock. Share
By Rachel Deeley August 3, 2021 19:16
Content-marketing firm iCrossing has had a minority stake in Mediablaze since 2016 and the deal will bolster its presence in the UK, the company said. The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. iCrossing has been owned by Hearst Magazines since 2010. It offers digital marketing solutions strengthened by consumer insights from its parent company. Its clients include Amazon, L’Oréal, Toyota and PepsiCo. The move comes amid a period of consolidation and change elsewhere in Hearst’s magazines division. Earlier this year, the media company sold the US edition of Marie Claire to Future, the publisher of its UK counterpart, and launched a new digital and quarterly print publication with Oprah Winfrey after ceasing publication of Winfrey’s monthly O Magazine. Learn more:

Hearst’s iCrossing Acquires London-Based Digital Agency Mediablaze

Hearst Magazines’ in-house global digital marketing agency iCrossing has made an acquisition. It said Monday it had bought Mediablaze, a London-based digital experience and content marketing agency, following a 2016 minority stake investment. The agency will join iCrossing’s U.K. office and the hope is that the newly formed partnership will offer clients full-service marketing solutions in customer experience, digital transformation, performance media and creative-driven content marketing campaigns. “With the digital acceleration brands have seen over the past year, there is a growing demand for complete marketing solutions that can offer engaging and impactful digital experiences and this investment positions us to deliver industry-leading solutions for our clients,” Hearst Magazines president Debi Chirichella said. Paul Button, CEO of Mediablaze, added: “The joining of our businesses will combine Mediablaze’s digital experience capability with iCrossing U.K.’s powerful media and customer insights, creating a best-in-class agency solution that will help clients transform and accelerate their digital business,” Button said. Hearst acquired iCrossing in 2010 in order to bring extensive global digital marketing capabilities in house, including paid search, search engine optimization, web development, mobile and social marketing and data analytics. Its clients include Toyota, LG Electronics, Belk, Beam Suntory and DeKuyper. “This is an investment in our team and represents a commitment to grow our organization and position us for continued success as our clients’ needs continue to evolve,” said Jamie Clifford, managing director of iCrossing U.K. of the new acquisition. Hearst’s magazine brands include Town & Country, Esquire, Cosmopolitan and Harper’s Bazaar.

Hearst’s ICrossing Acquires Mediablaze

By Eleanor Lim -21 October 2020 16:59pm
The winners of the The Drum Recommends Digital Awards have been announced. A wide variety of respected brands submitted their views their marketing services providers, including Pfizer, American Express, Visit Wales, Newcastle High School for Girls, Vodafone, Gousto, the House of Commons and more. The Under 40 Staff category included Happen Digital, SO Marketing, Propellernet and FX Digital, all of whom are category winners today, but the Grand Prix was awarded to Bind Media. Clients described Bind Media as a great agency and one they would definitely work with again. “They're always willing to go the extra mile and genuinely care about the results. This team will put in the work for you and with you to deliver beyond the results you think you want, and personalized service regardless of the budget they are presented with. Highly recommended.”
In the 40-99 Staff category, which included exceptional agencies such as Search Star, Coast Digital and Liberty Marketing, Hallam were awarded the Grand Prix. Hallam’s clients say the agency has helped them find their way in the digital world. “The team at Hallam were a vital extension of our internal marketing team. They understood the pressures the business was under and delivered results for us. “They’re easy to work with, and consistently help us achieve our objectives.”
In the category of agencies with over a hundred staff, Space & Time Media, Somo, MMT Digital and Rufus Leonard all take home awards. The Grand Prix went to iCrossing UK. Their clients had this to say: “iCrossing has continued to exceed expectations whilst providing on-going support throughout the project and post-launch. They are really easy to work with and very knowledgeable, helping us continue to innovate and improve. “They are the best agency I have worked with. Very honest and transparent, and you know you can trust what they are saying.”
Cat Hartland, head of The Drum Recommends, said she has always admired the uniqueness of the awards. “Has there ever been a more relevant year to recognise and celebrate the most recommended digital agencies as rated by actual clients? Brands have told us that agility, proactiveness and flexibility are all key behaviours from the agencies who are getting them through this year, these are the agencies who have done just that. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners, it’s great to share good news!”
Each year The Drum Recommends uses ratings from its database to identify which agencies are the highest-rated by clients and recognises those best-in-class agencies via its awards. Agencies can only win through the high regard of their clients, demonstrated by ratings on recommendedagencies.com. The full list of winning agencies in the large, medium and small categories can be found on The Drum Recommended Awards website . Exclusive Content

Bind Media, Hallam and iCrossing UK win Grands Prix at The Drum Recommended Digital Awards

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iCrossing rate OGGS vegan mince pies as this year's best. OGGS' handmade mince pies have emerged victorious in a taste test conducted by digital marketing agency iCrossing, launched with the intention of determining the best mince pies this holiday season. The vegan delicacies were crowned the outright winner, beating competition from Tesco, Waitrose, M&S and Sainsbury’s. They were praised for their homemade look and fullness of filling. The iCrossing taste test is now in its third year and has traditionally seen in-house team members taste Christmas sandwiches. This year, mince pies were put through their paces instead. The following iCrossers took part in the challenge: head of design Andrew Cridland, client director Phoebe Hood and SEO director Adam North, among others. The taste test took place in both the London and Brighton offices. “I recently went on a tour of the Good Housekeeping Institute testing labs as part of our partnership with our parent company, Hearst," said mince pie taster and iCrossing account director Jack Petchy. "I was overwhelmed by the level of detail they went into to help their customers find the right product for them." “Ever since, we’ve been on a quest to further understand the Christmas food market. Over the last two years, we’ve (un)officially closed the case on the best Christmas sandwich, and I’m pleased we’ve now been able to do the same with mince pies.”
// Featured in this article
iCrossing
Somewhere in the last few years, marketing became everything. CMOs today are no longer tasked with messaging and advertising. They’re asked for growth. They need to find consumers across a fractured... Exclusive Content

OGGS vegan mince pies top iCrossing’s annual taste test

The Drum Network
The iconic Better Man Cards aim to remind men of healthy masculinity traits. Better Man Conference has launched a new product line promoting an inclusive culture in the workplace and beyond. The line, which includes t-shirts and the iconic Better Man Cards, are aimed to remind men of healthy masculinity traits for inclusive leadership, gain context and language to engage in healthy discussion, and leverage power and authority to elevate women and minorities. The product line was developed in collaboration with iCrossing, a full-service digital marketing agency owned by the global publisher Hearst. Kriz Bell, head of strategy and communications at Better Man Conference, said: “First off, I think it is important to know that these cards aren't intended to question anyone’s manhood. They're keeping a pulse-check on workplace bias, putting things in a more mindful, inclusive perspective to make everyone's work lives better. "Sometimes we don't realize that what we’re doing or saying could be taken in the wrong way. That’s why these cards help call out conscious and subconscious bias." The Better Man Cards are printed with exercises, phrases, and quips that remind men of healthy workplace behavior and encourage them to go further in creating a healthy and inclusive atmosphere. Phrases like “If it is her idea, keep it that way” and “Don’t be like Kanye, let her finish” are meant to inspire sharing and discussion. The Better Man Cards are a refreshing "rewrite " of modern masculinity in the context of male allyship," said Ray Arata, founder of the Better Man Conference. Frederic Bonn, executive creative director at iCrossing, said: “When the movement in the media industry movement arrived, I noticed that women were burdened with explaining what the problem was. Ultimately we wanted to take the spirit of the conference and create a product that empowered men and reminded them of healthy behaviour, but didn’t antagonize. We wanted to create something they would be encouraged to engage with and share.”
The Better Man product line launches on November 19th, 2019 at the annual Better Man Conference in New York City. The cards will be available online at bettermancards.com worldwide. // Featured in this article
iCrossing
Somewhere in the last few years, marketing became everything. CMOs today are no longer tasked with messaging and advertising. They’re asked for growth. They need to find consumers across a fractured... Exclusive Content

Better Man and iCrossing join forces to battle toxic masculinity in the workplace

better man conference

4C is a big data analytics and social intelligence platform that collects public social data and applies exclusive analysis and mapping algorithms to track relationships between audiences, behavior and brand affinity. It combines more than 20 years of university research in big data and computational science with proven advertising acumen to reveal new audience insight for brands and agencies. On July 13th, 2020, 4C Insights was acquired by MediaOcean. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

4C Insights

The Body Shop is a global beauty brand that offers high-quality, naturally-inspired skincare, hair care, and make-up produced ethically and sustainably.

The Body Shop

Hobbycraft is the leading art and craft retailer based in Dorset, England.

Hobbycraft

Skai engineers technology solutions for search marketing, social media, and online advertising. The company empowers marketers with technology to build brands and generate demand across all media. The platform provides a suite of data-driven products for market intelligence, omnichannel media activation, testing, and measurement, enabling brands and agencies to make predictions. Skai was formerly known as Kenshoo and rebranded in June 2021. Skai was founded in 2006 and is based in Tel Aviv, Israel.

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iCrossing assists large companies such as Adobe, MasterCard, and Coca-Cola with digital advertising and search engine marketing. The company has 12 offices across the U.S. and Europe. Ad Age named iCrossing the top search marketing agency in 2008.

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