Microsoft acquires PromoteIQ

Microsoft scooped up New York-based PromoteIQ, a startup that helps retailers build digital advertising and e-commerce offerings for an undisclosed amount.

PromoteIQ brings with it a roster of big-name customers, including Kroger, Kohl’s and Overstock.com. The start-up will continue to operate under its name and will become a division of Microsoft Advertising.

PromoteIQ noted that the retail landscape is changing, and Microsoft brings “a humble, thoughtful approach to building out the defining operating system to power the future of commerce. PromoteIQ has pioneered the private marketplace approach to digital vendor marketing. PromoteIQ technology strategically complements Microsoft’s current retail advertising offerings.

Microsoft earlier this year separated its advertising division from the search engine Bing, to signify that the organization has ambitions beyond search. The change came almost a year after the debut of Microsoft Audience Network, a program that uses artificial intelligence and data from Microsoft services including Bing, MSN, Outlook, Skype and LinkedIn to help advertisers target native ads to specific audiences based on their online activities.

Lycos Internet to acquire TriTelA Gmbh

Digital Marketing Firm Lycos Internet Ltd will acquire 100% stake in Austria based mobile solutions provider TriTelA Gmbh in an all-stock transaction giving it access to cloud based technology that can help broaden its consumer services.

The deal will give Lycos access to TriTelA ‘mysms’ messenger that synchronizes test messages (SMS) and instant messages across different devices (mobile phones, tablets and desktops) through a cloud based account MySMS, available on Android Play and Apple store, has 3 million users worldwide and synchronizes 100 Million messages a day.

MySMS cloud based framework can tie multiple nodes such as SMS, instant messaging, wearable technology, connected ear and smart appliances with the consumer through multiple devices, smartphones, tablets, laptops and over-the-top (OTT) content. Lycos owns community and social sites in 120 languages in 177 countries including search engine Lycos.com. Last year, it launched two fitness bands under its newly launched Internet of Things based division called Lycos Life.

In the instant messenger space, it competes with the likes of Whatsapp, WeChat, Line, KakaoTalk, and Facebook Messenger that have millions of users. Lycos will also get to own two other assets of TriTelA as a result of this acquisition. SPH Wien is a content management and analytics platform for Video. Kika Social is a unified platform for social media listening, engagement and measurement.