Studio Media Group Acquires Darwin CX to Drive Digital Innovation for Customer Acquisition and Retention

Darwin CX will partner with Palm Coast Data and other Studio Media Group units to meet evolving client needs

Studio Media Group has announced the acquisition of Darwin CX, a customer experience platform from ZoomerMedia, whose unique client offerings complement technologies and tools already available through Studio Media Group’s Palm Coast Data (PCD) unit. In the past, publishers and membership organizations have had to wait weeks to understand how their customers behave before marketing campaigns could be refined. Now, Darwin CX and PCD will use big data to instantly suggest campaigns based on real-time information, allowing clients to move more quickly and maximize results.

“We acquired Darwin CX because we are very impressed with the customer-centric software and business model—built by Laas Turnbull, Michael Smith and their team—to serve the needs of subscription and membership organizations,” said Liam Lynch, Co-Chairman of Studio Media Group. “This will give our clients modern tools to develop new revenue streams and find innovative ways to grow their businesses.”

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Fellow Studio Media Group Co-Chairman and former Time Inc. executive Richard Jacobsen added, “This is a game changer in our industry. Darwin CX’s technology eliminates direct marketers’ frustrations with the current slow-moving process of campaign creation, feedback and iteration. Darwin CX makes real-time consumer responses and metrics visible via a user-friendly dashboard and provides machine- and algorithmic-driven continuous improvement.”

Darwin CX will add to Studio Media’s portfolio of brands that work to build, maintain and connect communities through data, artificial intelligence and content. PCD provides a strategically engineered, multichannel mix of digital, online and traditional technologies that acquire, retain and grow customer relationships—and increase revenue—for the nation’s leading magazine publishers, membership organizations and nonprofit organizations.

The leadership of PCD and Darwin will be connected starting immediately. Current Darwin CX President and Co-founder Laas Turnbull will serve as CEO of Darwin and PCD. Fellow Co-founder Michael Smith will serve as Chief Technology Officer and Head of Innovation at both companies. Neil Gordon, longtime PCD Controller, has been promoted to group Chief Financial Officer. Gary Blumenfeld, longtime PCD executive, has been promoted to Senior Vice-President and General Manager of PCD. Interim Palm Coast Data CEO and President John Meneough will transition to an advisory role. “Bringing these two companies together makes sense for so many reasons, chief among them that they both perform a number of critical functions extremely well,” said Turnbull. “In the end, the whole will be far, far greater than the sum of the parts.”

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ZoomerMedia was founded by Moses Znaimer, its CEO and President. Chief Digital Officer and Darwin CX Co-founder Omri Tintpulver will sit on Darwin’s Advisory Board, and the company’s operations will continue to be based at ZoomerMedia’s headquarters in Toronto’s Liberty Village for now. ZoomerMedia will assist with product and service development, while Darwin CX will continue to manage subscriptions for ZoomerMedia’s flagship print publication Zoomer Magazine, and membership for the company’s affiliate advocacy association CARP (formerly known as the Canadian Association of Retired Persons).

“We’re thrilled to continue the great work Moses and the ZoomerMedia team began,” said Lynch.

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