中国のマーケテック企業iClick、中国の広告プラットフォームOptAimを買収
iClick Interactive Asia (“iClick”), a leading integrated digital marketing platform in China which has seven offices across Asia serving more than 2,000 domestic advertisers and international brands, announced today it has completed a transaction to acquire a 100% stake of OptAim Technology (“OptAim” or “智雲眾”) to further strengthen its cross-platform marketing capabilities in China. The acquisition was settled by way of shares and cash.
OptAim, headquartered in Beijing, owns and operates one of the leading mobile advertising platforms in China. Focusing on performance-based advertising and programmatic marketing, OptAim is connected with the premium web publishers in China including Tencent, Taobao, Sohu and Toutiao, and boasts access to more than 550 million mobile users across the country.
In January 2015, OptAim received approximately US$10 million in a Series A financing fromBertelsmann Asia Investments. Currently its mobile programmatic platform has over 500 advertisers.
Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of iClick, Sammy Hsieh, said, “The acquisition complements iClick’s existing cross-platform marketing capabilities. As a leading player in mobile advertising technology business, OptAim is a perfect fit for iClick’s digital marketing portfolio in China. The benefits from the acquisition and subsequent synergies are significant to both iClick and the programmatic marketing industry in China. This development enables iClick to provide clients around the world with seamless advertising solutions across PCs and mobile devices with the aim of enhancing accuracy of user targeting and maximizing advertising ROI.” Dr. Jan Tang, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of OptAim, said, “The join-up between OptAim and iClick brings together the best of two leading digital advertising players in China. I am confident that the new team can maximize the value of OptAim’s cutting-edge advertising technology and iClick’s extensive international client network in order to further enhance a leadership position. Our common vision is to become the best marketing partner for those who want to build their brands in China.”
On the country’s growth of internet users, the latest report from China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) shows that the number of people using the internet rose to 668 million by the end of June 2015, up 18.94 million compared with the end of 2014. Smartphones have proven themselves to be the ultimate gateway for internet users in China as 88.9 percent of them choose to connect to the internet via mobile devices.
“China is poised to become one of the largest digital advertising markets in the world, and programmatic marketing is changing the advertising landscape by delivering higher levels of relevance, efficiency and impact. The rapid growth of internet users and smartphone penetration in China has made cross-platform marketing ever more important to both domestic and international marketers who desire to gain access throughout the country” Hsieh added. OptAim was founded in 2012 by Dr. Jan Tang, who is a former Director, Advertising Platforms and Products for Tencent Holdings, a leading provider of internet and mobile messaging services in China. Tang was one of the core members who developed and built Tencent AdExchange, an ad inventory platform that supports real-time bidding.
ABOUT ICLICK INTERACTIVE ASIA
iClick Interactive Asia (“iClick”) is a leading integrated advertising technology company connecting worldwide advertisers with the audience in China. Its proprietary Programmatic Marketing Platform (“PMP”) is the first of its kind in China that truly integrates search, display, mobile and social media advertising. The core of iClick’s PMP is supported by extensive data and advanced technology, which help both international and domestic advertisers reach their targeted customers in China through multi-channel marketing. Headquartered in Hong Kong, iClick was established in 2009. The company now has seven offices in Asia and has established business presence in London and New York with more than 400 employees.
ABOUT OPTAIM TECHNOLOGY
OptAim Technology is one of the leading advertising technology companies which specializes in mobile demand side platform (DSP) in China. Its mobile advertising platform integrates the programmatic technology with key ad exchanges, supply side platforms as well as major mobile media gateways in the country. The company’s revenue has been growing at a compound annual growth rate of 500% since its inception. With the technology to support mobile users’ behavior analysis and tracking, OptAim helps its customers reach their target customers more effectively via its cutting-edge mobile marketing solutions. Its customers include APP developers, e-commerce store owners and brand marketers. Founded in 2012, OptAim has set up offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. It has a team of over 100 technology, analysis, operation and marketing specialists who joined the company from market leaders such as Tencent, Yahoo, Sohu and Taobao. Serving more than 500 fast growing internet companies and businesses, OptAim’s mobile marketing solutions have been well recognized in the industry in China.
