Adyoulike, the French native technology platform and network, has announced that it has acquired Content Amp, the UK’s leading native distribution and content service.
The combined company had a turnover in 2013 of $5million. The expected turnover for what will be Europe’s first pure-play native advertising company will be around $10million in 2014.
Adyoulike has pioneered native advertising in France since its backing by French venture capitalist Banexi Ventures Partners in October 2012. The company is now seizing on the buzz around native with the first of a planned string of European acquisitions, starting with Content Amp in the UK market.
Content Amp will rebrand as Adyoulike UK. The acquisition will see the founders of Content Amp, Francis Turner and Dale Lovell, join the Adyoulike management board and run the UK division of Adyoulike. This will entail expanding native advertising formats into the UK market.
Julien Verdier, CEO of Adyoulike, comments: “This acquisition creates an immediate market leader in the European native advertising space. In Content Amp we have identified an experienced team that is as excited about native advertising as we are. Their expertise in all things content, plus extensive brand, publisher and agency contacts in the UK and combined with our market leading native advertising technology, is the perfect fit for Adyoulike to lead the expanding UK and European native advertising market.
“We have found a UK partner that shares our vision and strategy to turn Adyoulike into a global native advertising technology provider. “
Francis Turner, Content Amp co-founder and newly appointed managing director of Adyoulike UK, adds: “The native advertising market continues to be 2014’s hottest topic for brands, publishers and agencies. We have been running native campaigns over the last 12 months and have seen great advertiser appetite and outstanding results and performance, particularly when compared to stagnating and commoditized traditional display. There are a number of great opportunities to grow the Adyoulike native advertising solution in the UK.
“As one entity, Adyoulike and Content Amp offer a wealth of content expertise and native advertising options that solve many of the challenges around creating and distributing branded content, bringing a scalable solution to brands and agencies. We will be the only company of our type in the UK market.”
Philippe Herbert of Banexi Ventures Partners adds: “Adyoulike’s strategic position in native advertising perfectly fits our search for future leaders of digital advertising, bringing creativity and scalable distribution together. The UK deal is very much in keeping with this strategy as Adyoulike expands globally. We are confident that Adyoulike is set to become a global leading native advertising network, as native advertising is the biggest trend in digital marketing of the last two years.”
