Ignite Media Brands to close after MCN takes last big client
Sales house Ignite Media Brands is set to close down after rivals MCN confirmed it has taken the account for youth website network Sound Alliance.
Veteran media industry man and Ignite CEO Brian Gallagher resigned from the company effective on December 31 after Viacom International Media Network (VIMN) moved its last remaining subscription TV channels, MTV and Nickelodeon, over to MCN leading to redundancies at the group.
No new CEO has been installed as the company winds up operations ahead of its closure on June 30, with Ivan Curic the most senior executive as national sales director. It currently has 39 employees.
Sound Alliance owns and operates digital music and youth culture platforms including pop culture title Junkee, music communities In The Mix, Faster Lower, and Mess and Noise as well as gay and lesbian title Same Same. Sound Alliance also represents Pitchfork, NME and The Hype. It joined Ignite in June last year.
Elizabeth Minogue, national director of MCN’s multiply integration and content partnerships, said the Sound Alliance will provide MCN with greater opportunities for brands to connect with youth audiences across multiple screens.
She said: “The Sound Alliance team are experts in creating highly engaging content, which resonates strongly with the Australian youth market. When you combine their monthly unique audience of over 1.5m with their experience in native advertising and integrated client solutions, you have campaigns which will deliver real impact within the youth market.
“The partnership with Sound Alliance reinforces MCN’s leading multi-screen youth portfolio, delivering brands a powerful solution to engage with young Australians.”
Ignite Media Brands was formed in June 2010 owned by shareholders Viacom and TV1 stakeholders CBS Studios International, NBC Universal and Sony Pictures. When Viacom learned in August TV1 would cease trading at the end of the year, VIMN further explored options to move the business forward when the Fox International Channels business was then moved to MCN.
Ignite confirmed in a statement:
“Effective 1 July, Ignite Media Brands will no longer represent subscription television brands in the Australian marketplace and commence the process of closing the business.
“Ignite Media Brands currently employs 39 people in Sydney and Melbourne. We are committed to assisting employees find opportunities within the industry, and will do what we can to introduce them to the organizations assuming representation of the brands in Ignite’s portfolio. We’re confident the brand and sales expertise members of our team have developed will be very attractive to the marketplace.
“Ignite Media Brands will continue to represent Viacom International Media Networks until 30 June 2014. Staff is working closely with clients to ensure they are aware of the opportunities across all of these brands throughout this period.”
I am intrigued, why do publishers farm out their sales to a sales house?
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Why do advertisers farm out their media buying to agencies?
For the same reasons – Scale and expertise.
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Why do women go to the toilet in groups?
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why are people so unkind?
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Why so serious?
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Why does it always rain on me?
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won’t somebody think of the children!
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