MMDSmart, a leader in business messaging, CPaaS, and call center solutions, has announced an exciting partnership with Optimove, the pioneering Customer-Led Marketing Platform. This collaboration introduces Viber, the cross-platform messaging app, as an integrated marketing channel within Optimove's suite of tools. This integration provides Optimove clients with a unique opportunity to enhance their customer interactions by using Viber’s personalized, real-time communication capabilities, driving more impactful CRM marketing efforts.

A Global Reach with Viber Integration

Viber, with its 1.17 billion global users and over 820 million active monthly users, enables businesses to connect with customers in 192 countries and 40 languages. The app's robust features and high engagement rates make it an ideal platform for delivering personalized, real-time messages that boost customer engagement.

By adding Viber to its already extensive marketing channels, which include mobile, text, push, email, and WhatsApp, Optimove further solidifies its commitment to marketing channel extensibility. This new integration offers businesses a powerful way to foster personalized customer connections, enhancing their CRM marketing strategies.

Key Capabilities of Viber Integration for Optimove Clients

The integration of Viber into Optimove’s platform provides several key capabilities to brands, including:

1. Personalized Recommendations and Content Delivery

   • Optimove clients can now enrich customer engagement with tailored recommendations and content delivery via Viber. This feature seamlessly integrates Viber interactions into any cross-channel journey, enabling AI-powered orchestration of campaigns across multiple touchpoints.

2. Dynamic Orchestration

   • Viber’s rich media capabilities can now be orchestrated alongside all digital and offline marketing channels. This dynamic approach ensures more relevant and engaging interactions, further driving audience engagement.

3. Expanded Personalization

   • With access to Viber’s extensive user base, businesses can leverage new global markets, including emerging regions such as Brazil and Southeast Asia. This opens up new avenues for hyper-personalized marketing campaigns tailored to different regional audiences.

4. Improved Efficiency

   • MMDSmart’s reliable messaging infrastructure guarantees seamless, cost-effective communication for businesses of all sizes, ensuring optimal efficiency in delivering marketing messages via Viber.

What the Partnership Means for Marketers

Adi Dagan, Senior Director of Partnerships at Optimove, expressed excitement over the partnership:

"Viber as a marketing channel aligns perfectly with our mission to provide innovative tools that amplify marketing impact. Its global reach opens up new opportunities for our clients to deliver hyper-personalized, data-driven campaigns. This partnership with MMDSmart further strengthens our ability to help marketers build lasting customer relationships and drive measurable results."

Arie Frenlakh, CEO at MMDSmart, highlighted the importance of personalization in 2025:

"We are honored to integrate Viber’s unique messaging capabilities with Optimove’s CRM platform. The need for a personal touch in marketing is more critical than ever. Together with Optimove, we offer an unmatched opportunity for brands to deliver data-driven campaigns that resonate with audiences, driving smarter, more impactful engagement."

The partnership between MMDSmart and Optimove marks a significant leap forward in marketing technology. By integrating Viber into Optimove’s platform, the two companies are offering businesses a new, powerful tool for delivering hyper-personalized, multichannel marketing campaigns. This collaboration provides brands with the technology and infrastructure needed to enhance customer relationships and achieve measurable marketing success on a global scale.

Muck Rack, a leader in PR software innovation, has announced the acquisition of Ruepoint, a top global media intelligence company. This strategic move strengthens Muck Rack’s capabilities, enhancing its media intelligence services with curated monitoring, executive digests, and actionable insights. Following its September 2024 acquisition of the social media platform Keyhole, Muck Rack is rounding out its integrated platform to provide even more value to its PR and communications customers.

Merging Expertise and Innovation

The acquisition brings together Ruepoint’s expertise in content augmentation, media monitoring, and insights with Muck Rack’s AI-powered data and technology. This combination allows Muck Rack’s customers to access enriched media intelligence services and deepen their PR strategies with insights that track market trends, monitor competition, and measure PR’s impact on business performance.

Greg Galant, cofounder and CEO of Muck Rack, commented:

“In today’s fast-paced media environment, where new platforms and rapid news cycles can overwhelm, Ruepoint’s insights provide clarity. Integrating Ruepoint's expertise with our innovative tools empowers our customers to shape impactful PR strategies.”

Key Features of the Enhanced Muck Rack Platform

Customers who choose the new media intelligence services, available through Muck Rack's Brand Premier subscription, will gain access to:

1. Curated Monitoring:

   • Global media monitoring across print, digital, TV, and radio, enriched by expert editorial oversight. Delivered via email, API, or business intelligence software.

2. Executive Digests:

   • Tailored media reviews and digests to keep business leaders informed, from C-suite executives to Public Affairs and Legal teams.

3. Measurement and Insights:

   • Consultancy-led services offering qualitative and quantitative analysis of earned and social media. Includes interactive dashboards and graphical reports to evaluate trends, campaigns, and PR effectiveness.

Kevin Fagan, cofounder and CEO of Ruepoint, emphasized:

"By combining Ruepoint’s editorial expertise with Muck Rack’s data-driven approach, we are positioned to offer global brands a deeper understanding of their media performance and equip them with actionable insights."

A Focus on Actionable Insights and Strategic PR

Ruepoint’s focus on editorial expertise, alongside Muck Rack’s AI-driven technology, is designed to deliver not just information, but human-curated insights that empower PR professionals to drive business outcomes. Raina Lazarova, cofounder and COO of Ruepoint, highlighted the powerful combination of the two companies' strengths:

"Muck Rack’s advanced technology and global reach, combined with Ruepoint’s content curation and personalized approach, will create a uniquely powerful media intelligence platform."

Built on Powerful Data and AI

Muck Rack’s platform already monitors over 600,000 media outlets worldwide, analyzing more than 3.5 million articles daily across television, print, digital media, podcasts, and social channels. This wealth of data powers Muck Rack’s Dashboards tool, which tracks five key areas of media relations: Media Impact Analytics, Brand Reputation Insights, Competitive Analysis, Relationship Summary, and Outreach Performance.

A Growing and Successful Company

This acquisition comes amid rapid growth and financial success for Muck Rack. In addition to the recent acquisition of Keyhole, Muck Rack received a $180 million institutional investment in 2022, further fueling its expansion. Despite this, the company remains majority-founder owned and profitable, showcasing its continued commitment to innovation and customer success.

By acquiring Ruepoint, Muck Rack is poised to further solidify its position as a leader in PR software and media intelligence. This acquisition enhances its platform, offering businesses of all sizes powerful tools to track, measure, and improve their PR strategies with greater precision. As Muck Rack continues to expand and innovate, this unified offering will deliver unmatched insights to clients navigating the complex media landscape.

Comcast has unveiled Universal Ads, a groundbreaking TV advertising platform designed to simplify access to premium video advertising. Ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show, Comcast announced this one-stop solution to empower advertisers of all sizes with direct access to premium content from industry-leading media companies. Built on FreeWheel’s cutting-edge ad technology, Universal Ads will launch in Q1 and promises to revolutionize the TV advertising landscape with a seamless, unified buying experience.

Strategic Collaboration with Industry Leaders

Universal Ads represents Comcast’s first large-scale cross-industry collaboration. Launch partners include A+E, AMC Networks, DIRECTV, Fox Corporation, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Roku, TelevisaUnivision, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Xumo. More partners are expected to join, solidifying Universal Ads’ position as a premium marketplace for advertisers and publishers.

Key Features of Universal Ads

1. Universal Ads Manager:

   • A free, self-service tool that simplifies TV ad buying.

2. Premium Video Access:

   • Direct access to brand-safe video content reaching over 90% of U.S. households.

3. AI-Driven Creative Production:

   • Plans to provide free, automated AI-powered tools for creating TV commercials.

4. Marketing API:

   • Enables developers to build custom applications for reporting, measurement, and creative generation.

Driving Performance for Advertisers

The platform addresses key challenges identified in a 2024 Comcast Advertising study:

• Diminishing ROI on Social Media: 50% of advertisers reported declining returns from social media advertising.
• Demand for TV Advertising: 89% of advertisers expressed willingness to explore TV advertising.

Mark Marshall, Chairman of NBCUniversal Global Advertising & Partnerships, emphasized:

“Universal Ads combines the premium reach of TV with the precision of data-informed targeting, making it accessible for businesses of all sizes.”

Benefits for SMBs and Advertisers

Universal Ads democratizes TV advertising, breaking down barriers for small and medium businesses (SMBs). As Gary Vaynerchuk, Chairman of VaynerX, stated:

“The biggest mistake TV has made is acting like it’s still 1995. Universal Ads drops the barriers, letting brands of all sizes play at scale.”

Bridging the Programmatic Gap

According to the IAB, 75% of Connected TV (CTV) ads are purchased programmatically, yet only 20% of premium video transactions follow this model. Universal Ads aims to address this gap by offering:

• A unified platform for interacting with supply, data, and technology partners.
• Tools to enable more programmatic trading in the premium video space.

Leadership and Vision

Comcast has appointed James Grant to lead the Universal Ads initiative. Former Snap executive James Borow will oversee product and engineering development, ensuring a cutting-edge and user-friendly experience.

Universal Ads is poised to transform the premium video advertising landscape, providing a simple, scalable, and effective solution for advertisers and publishers alike. By unifying premium media partners under one platform, Comcast is setting a new standard for TV advertising, making it as accessible and efficient as social media.

Creative Realities, Inc., a leading provider of digital signage and media solutions, has unveiled AdLogic CPM+TM, an advanced campaign planning and management platform designed for in-store retail media networks. By integrating programmatic functionalities within a unified AdTech stack, the platform empowers advertisers and publishers to manage, optimize, and execute campaigns seamlessly.

Key Features of AdLogic CPM+

1. Dynamic Campaign Management

   • Plan and execute campaigns based on impressions, budgets, targeting parameters, and more.
   • Tailor campaigns to sub-networks for enhanced customization.

2. Advanced Targeting Capabilities

   • Leverage location-based data, geo-fencing, audience attributes, and digital asset types.
   • Optimize campaigns for precise reach and impactful messaging.

3. Private Marketplaces (PMPs)

   • Facilitate curated inventory transactions with select buyers for higher efficiency and yield.

4. Integrated DSP/SSP Functionality

   • Offer both direct and programmatic ad trafficking for maximum flexibility.

5. Seamless Platform Integration

   • Integrates with CRI’s AdLogicTM and ReflectViewTM systems, eliminating external tools and reducing third-party fees.

6. Real-Time Reporting

   • Access detailed analytics to monitor performance, measure ROI, and refine strategies for better outcomes.

Advantages for Publishers and Advertisers

• For Publishers:

  • Create private marketplaces to connect directly with buyers, reducing reliance on third-party intermediaries.
  • Retain a larger share of ad revenue by minimizing operational costs.
  • Simplify inventory management through streamlined workflows.

• For Advertisers:

  • Benefit from undiluted inventory for greater campaign visibility.
  • Achieve higher conversion rates with targeted and efficient messaging.
  • Leverage real-time insights to optimize campaign ROI.

Industry Impact

Rick Mills, CEO of Creative Realities, emphasized the transformative nature of AdLogic CPM+:

“Retail Media Networks are reshaping advertising, and AdLogic CPM+ empowers brands to maximize ROI with integrated, end-to-end solutions.”

By addressing complexities, enhancing cost-efficiency, and providing measurable results, AdLogic CPM+ is positioned as a comprehensive solution for modern in-store retail media networks.

AdLogic CPM+ establishes Creative Realities as a one-stop provider for retail media solutions. From on-premises screen deployment to sophisticated ad-serving tools, this full-service approach is set to revolutionize the retail media ecosystem, enabling brands to achieve impactful and efficient campaigns.

Horizon Media Holdings has appointed Bob Lord as its new President, a pivotal leadership role aimed at accelerating the company’s growth. Lord brings over three decades of experience at the intersection of marketing, media, and technology, with a strong background in digital transformation. His leadership will focus on meeting client demands and creating value across Horizon’s diversified portfolio of agencies.

1. Horizon Media Holdings’ Structure

   • Parent Company Overview: Horizon Media Holdings is the parent company of Horizon Media, the world's largest independent media agency. It also oversees a diverse range of affiliate agencies, including Horizon Next (full-service marketing), Night Market (commerce), One Horizon (advertising), and others.
   • Bob Lord’s Role: As President, Bob Lord will be responsible for aligning Horizon’s businesses, integrating advanced technologies, and leading the company’s international strategy.

2. Bob Lord’s Career Background

   • Leadership in Technology: Lord’s career includes leadership positions in technology and marketing, notably as IBM’s first Chief Digital Officer. He drove the integration of AI and revolutionized IBM’s go-to-market strategy, including launching the Call for Code initiative.
   • Media and Marketing Leadership: Lord has held key positions at AOL, where he developed a programmatic media platform, and as Global CEO of Razorfish, where he led the company’s transformation and acquisition by Publicis Groupe.
   • Previous Roles and Board Memberships: Lord has served on the boards of companies such as Integral Ad Science and Williams-Sonoma, and currently teaches at Harvard Business School as an Executive Fellow.

3. Vision for Horizon Media Holdings

   • Growth and Innovation: Bill Koenigsberg, CEO of Horizon Media Holdings, praised Lord’s unique expertise at the intersection of technology and media. Lord’s leadership will drive Horizon's growth by utilizing advanced technology to solve client challenges and build scalable solutions.
   • Technology-Driven Solutions: Lord plans to modernize technology tool sets with AI, improving transparency into consumer data and optimizing return on ad spend (ROAS). He envisions using Large Language Models (LLMs) and real-time data insights to create an integrated marketing platform that delivers greater value for clients.

4. Bob Lord’s Personal Statement

   • Honored to Join Horizon: Lord expressed his excitement about joining Horizon Media Holdings, highlighting the company’s impressive reputation in delivering client-first media solutions.
   • Transformative Experience: After nearly a decade of working in AI, data, and quantum computing, Lord looks forward to bringing this experience back to the marketing industry, particularly in modernizing AI tools and enhancing consumer data transparency.

Bob Lord’s appointment as President marks a transformative step for Horizon Media Holdings. With his wealth of experience in digital transformation and innovation, Lord is poised to lead Horizon into its next phase of growth, modernizing its technology offerings and delivering cutting-edge solutions to meet the evolving needs of clients in a rapidly changing marketing landscape.

Experian is starting 2025 with a new ad campaign aimed at encouraging Americans to take charge of their finances. Titled "Tackling Life by Experian," the campaign features quarterback Jordan Love and his fiancé, Ronika Stone, alongside All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner and his wife, Sydney. The goal is to inspire people to save time and money through Experian's tools, such as subscription cancellations and credit monitoring.

1. The Campaign

   • Featured Athletes: The campaign stars Jordan Love and Fred Warner, prominent professional football players, and their significant others.
   • Focus on Financial Management: The ad encourages Americans to tackle their finances in the new year by leveraging Experian's tools for managing subscriptions, checking credit scores, and more.

2. Survey Results and Financial Goals

   • According to a recent national survey by Experian, saving money is the top New Year’s financial resolution for 43% of respondents.
   • Subscription Cancellation Feature: One of Experian's highlighted tools, the subscription cancellation feature, helps consumers manage unwanted subscriptions. It offers automatic cancellation of over 200 subscriptions in categories like streaming services, meal kits, and entertainment apps.

3. Experian Membership Benefits

   • Tracking Subscriptions: Consumers can save time and money by tracking and canceling subscriptions directly through the Experian app.
   • Cost of Subscriptions: Experian data reveals that consumers spend an average of $1,000 per year on approximately four subscriptions.
   • Additional Financial Tools: Experian offers a range of free and paid tools to help with budgeting, finding the right loans, and improving financial health.

4. Behind the Scenes

   • The Creative Process: Todd Miller, Chief Creative Director at Experian's in-house ad agency, The Cooler, shared insights into the creative process: "We just let them be themselves… It was a blast to see their back-and-forth banter and natural playfulness come through."
   • Collaborating with Athletes First: The campaign was developed in collaboration with Athletes First, a full-service management firm representing top athletes, coaches, and broadcasters.

5. Campaign Distribution

   • Platform Reach: The ads will be broadcast on TV, CTV, and digital platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat.
   • Targeting Key Audiences: The campaign will air during significant events such as the College Football Playoffs and professional football playoffs, expanding Experian’s reach across sports and aligning with streaming services’ broad female audience.

Experian’s new "Tackling Life by Experian" campaign highlights the importance of financial management and offers tools to help consumers optimize their spending in 2025. By partnering with athletes like Jordan Love and Fred Warner, Experian is taking a personal and relatable approach to encourage individuals to take control of their finances this year.

Motivus is proud to announce its achievement of the prestigious Microsoft Solution Partner status, placing the company among an elite group of global Microsoft partners. This certification recognizes Motivus’s expertise in two key areas: Data and AI Solutions and Digital and Application Innovation, further validating the company's commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions.

1. Microsoft Solution Partner Designation

   • Out of over 64,000 global Microsoft partners, Motivus has been recognized for its technical capabilities and its proven track record of delivering successful customer outcomes.
   • Key Areas of Expertise:
     • Data and AI Solutions: Expertise in utilizing Microsoft Azure to drive AI and data-driven solutions.
     • Digital and Application Innovation: Specializing in digital transformation and application development using Microsoft technologies.

2. The Certification Process

   • To achieve this distinction, Motivus was evaluated on its ability to drive Azure consumption, implement and support advanced Azure solutions, and maintain a team of certified Microsoft technology experts.
   • The certification process emphasizes the company’s ability to deliver scalable and advanced solutions, ensuring that Motivus has the expertise to support customer needs in cloud and AI journeys.

3. Statements from Motivus Leadership

   • Mark Spurlock, Senior Vice President, Global Partnerships & Alliances:
     "This certification reflects our deep technical expertise and commitment to responsibly support our customers in their cloud and AI journeys. We are eager to pursue additional Solution Partner designations in 2025."
   • Hari Haran, CEO of Motivus:
     "This milestone validates our team's excellence and positions us to deliver even greater value to our customers. With Microsoft’s resources, we can help clients leverage advanced AI, digital transformation, and cloud solutions with added trust and collaboration."

4. Enhanced Access to Microsoft Resources

   • As a Microsoft Solution Partner, Motivus gains enhanced access to valuable resources:
     • Technical Resources: Expertise and support from Microsoft’s vast network.
     • Co-Marketing Opportunities: Opportunities to collaborate on joint marketing initiatives.
     • Customer Referrals: Direct customer connections from Microsoft’s referral system.
     • Direct Collaboration with Microsoft Experts: Working closely with Microsoft experts to create tailored solutions for clients.

Achieving Microsoft Solution Partner status underscores Motivus’s leadership in Data and AI Solutions and Digital and Application Innovation. With enhanced access to Microsoft’s resources, Motivus is well-equipped to deliver advanced cloud, AI, and digital transformation solutions, further strengthening its ability to support clients on their technological journeys.

State and Local Government organizations have long been viewed as slow, siloed, and outdated when it comes to constituent engagement. Constituents often endure long hold times, repetitive questions from different agents, and the inconvenience of resubmitting documents. At Global Technology Solutions, Inc. (GTS), we're redefining how state and local governments serve their populations, beginning with a consultative approach to implementing the best cloud contact center solutions tailored to your needs.

1. AI-Powered Solutions for SLED (State, Local, Education, and District Governments)

   • Every State and Local Government organization has unique needs and challenges in delivering a seamless constituent experience. GTS leverages cutting-edge AI and Machine Learning (ML) technology to improve these services.
     • Redirecting FAQs: Automatically addressing frequently asked questions to streamline communication.
     • Enabling Self-Service Options: Implementing chatbots to allow constituents to resolve issues quickly without human intervention.
     • Unifying Constituent Data: Centralizing data into a single portal for a more efficient and personalized service experience.
   • By incorporating these technologies, GTS helps organizations improve the efficiency and simplicity of their constituent experience through cloud contact center solutions.

2. How GTS Revolutionizes the Constituent Experience

   • Support & Managed Services:
     GTS offers seamless integration of cloud contact center solutions and provides ongoing support for troubleshooting and technical assistance. Clients have direct access to the GTS team to ensure that their systems continue to run smoothly long after deployment.

   • Professional Services:
     GTS provides a variety of on-demand IT services, including scalable cloud solutions, business applications, and customer experience strategies. With expert technical assistance, organizations can ensure the smooth operation of their contact center systems and beyond.

   • OmniSuite:
     GTS's OmniSuite tools include chatbots, virtual assistants, and omnichannel portals for agents, all powered by artificial intelligence. These tools, deployed on trusted cloud infrastructures like Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Genesys, ensure faster, more accurate responses to constituent inquiries.

     • Benefits: Enhanced speed, accuracy, and efficiency in resolving constituent concerns.

   • OmniDARS:
     Specifically designed for SLED clients, OmniDARS is a tool for administrative law judges, hearing officers, and legal administrators. It streamlines the process of reviewing appeals cases by reducing clicks and enabling remote interactions between claimants, witnesses, and legal representatives.

     • Impact: Faster case resolutions and reduced need for rescheduled hearings.

At Global Technology Solutions (GTS), we are committed to transforming how state and local governments interact with their constituents. By offering AI-powered solutions, comprehensive support services, and innovative tools like OmniSuite and OmniDARS, GTS helps organizations improve operational efficiency and enhance the constituent experience.