Isobar Expands with Range Buy

Aegis-owned digital media unit Isobar has acquired Range Online Media - a US search engine marketing firm that has developed technology to measure online media, social and emerging media spaces.

Range has gross assets of $12m and was founded in 2001 in Fort Worth, Texas by Chairman Cheryle Pingel and President Misty Locke. The firm provides paid search marketing and search engine optimisation services, and has an in-house Strategy and Research department which offers clients in-depth consumer and industry reports, integrated studies and strategic information compiled from both proprietary and third party sources such as Jupiter Research and Nielsen/NetRatings.

Following the acquisition, Range Online Media will re-brand as iProspect - Isobar's search engine marketing arm - and form the fourth US office in the iProspect global search network, which has 21 offices in 17 markets worldwide.

Commenting on the acquisition, Robert Lerwill, CEO of Aegis, said: 'Range Online Media gives us a significant boost in the retail sector in the US. It also brings enviable tools and technology designed to measure the growing social media space, which we can leverage across the entire iProspect global network.'

Through its global network of 104 offices in 38 markets, Isobar employs 3,500 people and has online billings of nearly $2bn. Last November, the firm acquired Canadian digital marketing and analysis agency Mindblossom.

Web sites: www.aegis.com , www.isobar.net and www.rangeonlinemedia.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.