The New York Times is expanding its native ad studio with the acquisition of HelloSociety, a digital marketing agency owned by Science, Inc.
Los Angeles-based Science both invest in startups and builds its own companies. It launched HelloSociety (which it fully owned) back in 2012 as an analytics platform for Pinterest marketers. Since then, it’s broadened beyond Pinterest to platforms like Instagram and YouTube, as well as turning into an agency that connects brands with a influential social media users who can help promote their marketing efforts.
HelloSociety currently has more than 1,500 influencers in its network. The companies say that the agency’s “tools, talent and approach” will become part of T Brand Studio, The Times’ native ad team. (Media companies aren’t the only ones wanting to move into this industry — Twitter acquired influencer marketing startup Niche last year.)
In the acquisition release, Times CEO Mark Thompson said T Brand Studio doubled its revenue in 2015 compared to 2014.“We are very keen on its next stage of development and want to broaden the range of creative and marketing services that we offer clients from content ideation and creation to distribution,” Thompson said. “The reach and results-driven tactics of HelloSociety are the ideal complements to our strategic vision for the future of T Brand Studio.”
The companies say it was an all-cash deal, but they did not disclose the price.
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