CEO Andy MacMillan to Step Down; Eric Johnson, Seasoned Enterprise Software Executive, Appointed CEO

UserTesting, a leader in experience research and insights, has appointed Eric Johnson as the new Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Johnson succeeds Andy MacMillan, who led the company for over six years and will continue to support UserTesting in an advisory role while remaining an investor.

• Leadership Transition: Eric Johnson takes over as CEO of UserTesting from Andy MacMillan, who will now serve as a Senior Advisor.
• Eric Johnson’s Background: Johnson brings over 20 years of leadership experience in enterprise software. He previously served as CEO of Nintex, where he led the company through a strategic transformation and several successful acquisitions.
• Achievements at Nintex: Under Johnson’s leadership, Nintex achieved top customer satisfaction scores, a Great Place to Work certification, and expanded as a strategic enterprise platform for process automation.
• Vision for UserTesting: Johnson aims to build on UserTesting’s strong foundation, enhancing the company’s ability to provide end-to-end insights and feedback in product creation and execution.
• Support from Andy MacMillan: MacMillan expressed pride in UserTesting’s growth under his leadership, including the significant merger with UserZoom, and is confident in Johnson's capabilities to drive further success.
• Comments from Thoma Bravo: A.J. Rohde, Senior Partner at Thoma Bravo, praised MacMillan's contributions and expressed excitement about Johnson’s role in advancing UserTesting’s mission.

The appointment of Eric Johnson as CEO marks a new chapter for UserTesting. With Johnson's extensive experience and strategic vision, UserTesting is poised to further revolutionize how companies leverage human insights and feedback to create better products.

Seasoned Financial Exec Will Drive New Market Growth for Leading Multi-Channel Advertising Platform

StackAdapt, a leading multi-channel advertising platform, has announced the appointment of Cassandra Hudson as Chief Financial Officer. Hudson brings extensive experience in growing tech companies and leading public organizations, positioning StackAdapt for continued success in programmatic advertising and martech.

• New CFO Appointment: Cassandra Hudson joins StackAdapt as CFO, bringing a strong background in financial leadership and growth.
• Previous Experience: Hudson has a notable history with high-growth companies, including her recent role as CFO of EngageSmart, where she enhanced profitability and led strategic finance.
• Career Highlights: She has held significant roles at Carbonite, The Davenport Companies, RSM US LLP, and Henderson and Associates. Hudson has a track record of scaling businesses and guiding financial transformations.
• Impact on StackAdapt: Hudson’s expertise will be crucial in navigating emerging markets, reinforcing StackAdapt’s leadership, and driving growth.
• Comments from Leadership: Vitaly Pecherskiy, co-founder and CEO of StackAdapt, expressed enthusiasm about Hudson’s addition and its positive impact on the company’s future. Hudson also shared her excitement about joining StackAdapt and leveraging her financial skills to drive strategic initiatives.
• Recent Hires: Hudson’s appointment follows the recent hiring of Darcie Henry as CPO and Ryan Nelsen as CMO, along with Pecherskiy’s elevation to CEO.

The addition of Cassandra Hudson as CFO represents a significant milestone for StackAdapt. Her extensive experience and leadership are set to play a pivotal role in the company’s ongoing growth and innovation in the multi-channel advertising sector.

Identifies website visitors, provides exclusive intelligence, and activates data automatically

Ninety-seven percent of traffic to B2B websites remains anonymous, yet these visitors are interested in learning about your solutions and team. Bombora’s next-generation ‘Visitor Insights’ (VI) provides the tools to identify who is visiting your site and why, enabling personalized website experiences that cater to each visitor's needs instantly.

• Importance of First-Party Data: In today's shifting identity landscape, having a robust first-party data strategy is crucial. Bombora’s Visitor Insights transforms anonymous website visitors into actionable data that supports go-to-market (GTM) strategies.

• Features of Visitor Insights:

  • Identity & Enrichment: Identifies target accounts visiting your website and enriches their profiles with key demographic, firmographic, and behavioral attributes. This enables businesses to:
    • Build comprehensive first-party datasets
    • Shape content, events, and go-to-market strategies
    • Measure campaign and site performance
  • Digital Activation: Provides real-time identity and enrichment, integrating seamlessly with existing tools and systems to enhance:
    • Site personalization and chatbot experiences
    • Retargeting campaigns
    • Intelligent audience segmentation and optimization

• Partner Testimonials: According to Tess Mercer, Head of Marketing Operations at Box, Bombora’s Visitor Insights has significantly enhanced their first-party data strategy, providing valuable insights and seamless integration with their customer data platform (CDP).

• CEO's Perspective: Mark Connon, CEO of Bombora, emphasizes the importance of leveraging first-party data to understand site visitors' interests and improve engagement strategies both during and after their visit.

Bombora’s Visitor Insights offers a game-changing approach to B2B website engagement, providing critical insights that drive personalized interactions and optimize marketing efforts. As companies strive to maximize their first-party data strategies, Bombora’s VI solution stands out as a powerful tool for understanding and engaging with site visitors effectively.

Muck Rack customers will gain access to deeper insights into how their brand is perceived on social media

Muck Rack, a leading provider of public relations (PR) and communications management software, has announced its acquisition of Keyhole, a social listening and analytics platform. The acquisition, finalized on August 31, 2024, marks Muck Rack’s first acquisition and aims to enhance its PR solutions with advanced social media insights.

• Acquisition Details: Muck Rack has acquired Keyhole, expanding its PR and communications software to include real-time social media insights. The integration will begin immediately, enhancing Muck Rack’s platform with Keyhole’s social listening tools.

• Enhanced Features: The integration will allow PR and corporate communications teams to:

  • Add social listening to their existing Muck Rack subscription
  • Access social media insights directly within the Muck Rack platform
  • Monitor brand mentions, hashtags, influencers, and keywords across major social media channels including Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook

• Complementary Capabilities: Keyhole’s social media monitoring will complement Muck Rack’s existing global media monitoring, which covers over 600,000 news sources and 3.5 million articles daily across various media formats, powered by AI technology.

• CEO Statements: Gregory Galant, co-founder and CEO of Muck Rack, highlighted the importance of integrating social listening tools to provide PR professionals with insights that can spot potential crises, inform media strategies, and analyze social media KPIs. Saif Ajani, co-founder of Keyhole, expressed excitement about the partnership and its potential to enhance PR practices.

• Company Background: Muck Rack and Keyhole, both founded in 2009, have been partners since 2023 and share a commitment to innovation in social media data. Muck Rack received its first institutional investment of $180M in 2022 and remains founder-controlled and profitable.

The acquisition of Keyhole by Muck Rack represents a significant advancement in the PR and communications sector, combining comprehensive media monitoring with cutting-edge social listening tools. This move enhances Muck Rack’s platform, offering PR professionals a more integrated approach to managing and analyzing their media presence.

Developed With Input from Hundreds of the World’s Leading YouTube Creators and Backed by Powerful Data, Spotter Studio’s Suite of Offerings Launches at VidSummit 2024.

Spotter, a leading platform in the Creator economy on YouTube, has unveiled Spotter Studio, an AI-powered creative suite designed to revolutionize how YouTube Creators develop content. Launched at VidSummit, Spotter Studio offers advanced tools and personalized recommendations to enhance video ideation, planning, and performance.

• Spotter Studio Overview: Spotter Studio is a groundbreaking tool that serves as a brainstorm partner, project planner, and research copilot, designed specifically for YouTube Creators. Early beta results have shown an average 49% increase in video views within the first 7 days compared to videos made without the platform.

• Features and Benefits:

  • Personalized Recommendations: Provides data-driven insights to help Creators develop innovative video concepts, compelling titles, and eye-catching thumbnails.
  • Comprehensive Support: Supports Creators throughout the entire production process, including ideation, research, and project management.
  • Unique Tools: Features include Outliers for discovering new concepts, Brainstorm for refining ideas, and Projects for planning and tracking tasks.
  • Increased Engagement: Beta testing demonstrated a significant boost in viewership and engagement, with a total of 844 million views across all videos developed using the software.
  • Democratization of Success: Offers advanced tools and insights to a broader range of Creators, leveling the playing field and enabling more Creators to achieve success.

• Endorsements and Testimonials: Top YouTube Creators and experts, including MrBeast, Dude Perfect, and Colin & Samir, have participated in the beta program and praised Spotter Studio for its ability to streamline their creative processes and enhance content performance.

• Pricing and Availability: Spotter Studio is available for $49/month or a limited-time offer of $299/year with a 50% discount. It is accessible to Creators in the US, Canada, UK, and Australia.

Spotter Studio represents a major advancement in content creation for YouTube Creators, offering a comprehensive suite of tools designed to optimize video production and boost engagement. With its AI-driven features and personalized insights, Spotter Studio is set to become an essential asset for Creators looking to elevate their content and drive growth.

Pentaleap's Technology Empowers Retail Media Networks to Maximize Revenue Potential and Foster a More Inclusive Global Ecosystem

Pentaleap Inc., a leader in retail media technology, has announced the launch of its modular retail media platform. This innovative platform is designed to help retail media networks (RMNs) fully unlock their potential for onsite monetization and optimize their advertising strategies.

• Platform Overview:

  • Publisher Manager Portal: Provides RMNs with comprehensive control over site monetization. Features include the Fluid Ad Server, SSP, and yield management tools, allowing for increased revenue without sacrificing ad relevance.
  • Campaign Manager: Simplifies campaign creation for advertisers, offering tools for tailoring bids, optimizing performance with dynamic pacing, suggested bids, and real-time reporting.

• Strategic Collaborations:

  • Recent Partnerships: Pentaleap’s growing client base now includes The Home Depot and Pague Menos, alongside existing major retailers like Staples.
  • Client Benefits:
    • The Home Depot: Enhanced performance of sponsored products and improved relevancy.
    • Staples: Achieved 30% higher Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), 4X incremental ad revenue, and increased impressions and fill rate.

• Client Testimonials:

  • Staples: Noted a breakthrough in matching the performance of sponsored products with organic products.
  • THG: Praised Pentaleap’s approach for expanding ad solutions while maintaining a seamless user experience.
  • Casio America: Reported a 218% increase in ROAS and significant improvements in units sold, revenue, and click-through rate (CTR).

• Global Expansion:

  • Ongoing Discussions: Pentaleap is negotiating with emerging RMNs in North and South America, EMEA, and Australia.
  • Future Prospects: Expected to enhance global retail media capabilities and offer more relevant sponsored product ads.

Pentaleap’s modular retail media platform offers a robust solution for RMNs and advertisers, driving efficiency and revenue growth while maintaining ad relevancy. With strategic partnerships and a focus on global expansion, Pentaleap is set to transform the retail media landscape and provide enhanced value to its clients.

Groundbreaking Solution Offers Global Enterprises Alternate Geographical Boundaries to Improve Insights Surrounding Local Audiences, Markets, and Trends

Digital Element, a global leader in IP geolocation technology, has introduced the Alternate Area Database (DB), a groundbreaking enhancement to its NetAcuity IP Geolocation solution. This innovative database allows businesses to leverage alternative geographical boundaries beyond traditional postal codes for more precise global IP geolocation.

• Alternate Area DB:

  • Enhanced Segmentation: Provides businesses with the ability to use Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1) boundaries from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, offering more detailed geographical segmentation compared to traditional postal codes.
  • Coverage: Segments Australia's 26 million population into 61,000 SA1 zones, a significant improvement over the 3,300 postal codes previously used.

• Advancements:

  • Improved Local Insights: Offers enhanced local insights while preserving digital privacy, allowing businesses to gain a more nuanced understanding of regional trends.
  • Global Expansion: Future plans include extending the Alternate Area DB to include Germany’s PLZ8 and France’s IRIS statistical areas.

• Applications:

  • Advertising: Enhances targeting capabilities by providing more granular geographic data.
  • Cybersecurity: Helps firms improve their understanding of regional dynamics for better security measures.
  • Retail: Assists retailers in refining market strategies with detailed demographic information.

Quotes
Vinod Kashyap, Chief Product Officer of Digital Element, stated, “Traditional postcode-level data has been the industry standard for decades but companies often need an alternate look into the geographies where they do business. This new database enhances current practices by leveraging statistical areas to provide enhanced local insights while maintaining an individual’s digital privacy.”

The launch of the Alternate Area DB marks a significant advancement in IP geolocation technology. By providing businesses with more detailed geographical data, Digital Element enables better decision-making and strategic planning across various sectors, from advertising to cybersecurity and retail.

Availability of Quickplay's platform on AWS Marketplace provides joint customers with business and operational benefits, reducing time to market and quickly increasing capabilities

Quickplay is excited to announce that its comprehensive solutions portfolio is now available on AWS Marketplace. This move marks a significant step in providing innovative OTT product solutions for sports, operators, and media companies, leveraging the power of Amazon Web Services (AWS).

• AWS Marketplace Availability:

  • Streamlined Access: AWS customers can now easily access Quickplay's cloud-native platform, including its award-winning CMS and end-to-end orchestration capabilities.
  • Generative AI Tools: Quickplay’s tools for content recommendations, dynamic ad placements, and automated highlight reel production are now available through AWS Marketplace.

• Benefits for OTT Providers:

  • Flexibility and Agility: The open, modular, cloud-native architecture allows Tier 1 sports, telco, and media OTT providers to stay ahead of technological advancements and evolving consumer demands.
  • Custom Solutions: OTT providers can build tailored solutions using Quickplay’s CMS and Universal orchestration layer, integrating with premium video offerings available on AWS Marketplace, such as AWS Elemental Media Services and Amazon Bedrock.

Quotes
Paul Pastor, Chief Business Officer at Quickplay, commented, “The fierce competition for streaming audiences is amplifying the need for the smartest, fastest, most effective ways to engage and monetize viewers. Our AWS Marketplace availability is turbocharging the industry’s CMS, orchestration, and AI capabilities, all of which are essential to creating value for streaming services and their customers.”

Events and Demonstrations

• IBC Amsterdam: Quickplay will showcase its cloud-native platform at Stand 5.H61.
• Panel Discussion: Attend the "Market Success With Multiple Monetisation Models" panel on Saturday, September 14 at 3:30 PM CET at CE Stage Hall 5 (5.A28).

Contact Information
Meet Quickplay at IBC or book a meeting at sales@quickplay.com.