IDG Communications Becomes 'Foundry'

Publishing and data group IDG Communications has rebranded as Foundry, reflecting its 'transformation from legacy media network to integrated marketing technology and data provider'.

Parent company IDG was founded as International Data Group by Patrick McGovern in 1964, and now also includes market intelligence, advisory services and events company IDC, home to around 1,200 analysts. IDG is the publisher of titles such as InfoWorld, MacWorld, Network World, and PCWorld, and has been sold twice in five years, first to China Oceanwide Holdings Group in 2017 for just under $700m and then last year to investment giant Blackstone for $1.3 billion.

The newly named Foundry division will be the home to marketing tech platforms Triblio, Selling Simplified (acquired earlier this month), KickFire and LeadSift - all based around large-scale first-party data on more than 200 million individuals from the group's global network of editorial brands, awards and events.

Foundry President Kumaran Ramanathan says the rebrand establishes the company as one that 'generates and innovates with data'. He comments: 'We set out to deliver on a strategy that re-invents our business for a new era in technology marketing where data and martech are engineered to work seamlessly together, powered by our global ecosystem of editorial brands. However, to pivot, to reinvent you sometimes have to turn away from the very things that previously defined you and the long-standing equity in our name, synonymous as one of the world's biggest media companies ultimately limits our ambition and ability to be identified as a marketing technology powerhouse'.

Foundry says it aims to help clients 'navigate the entire tech buyer journey... from driving awareness and understanding intent signals, to increasing engagement and conversion' - through the combination of advertising, demand generation, content, research and events.

Web site: www.foundryco.com .