Sometimes you discover interesting global connections that already exist. Just before Christmas Brad Ball, President of LoyaltyMatch, asked me about supporting a connection he was building in Singapore! Loyalty Match was responding to an inquiry by Yolk to build a loyalty program for one of their prospective clients located in Asia Pacific. On December 20th Yolk was acquired by Grey Asia Pacific, a division of Grey Group.
Brad asked me to reach out to Yolk, now a part of the Grey network, to help authenticate LoyaltyMatch credentials. Here was an opportunity to ensure his prospective client, on the other side of the globe, that LoyaltyMatch was indeed a viable company ready to do business anywhere in the world.
So who is LoyaltyMatch? They are a tenant here at the Hub, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company that offers customizable loyalty program platforms. They build the back end system for companies who are looking for exciting and engaging ways to build customer loyalty. In today's digital world, LoyaltyMatch is a key service and intelligence provider for companies looking for ways to dispense virtual currency in exchange for time, loyalty or insight; trading time or loyalty for rewards that can be redeemed in a multitude of ways. They provide the platform and the capability for companies to develop new ways to engage a viewer, a participant, a customer, while also measuring the experience through real time analytics.
The latest demand from their clients is to incorporate game mechanics into a web experience as a means to rejuvenate a brand with a fresh, current experience or reach a new audience. LoyaltyMatch has created the platform for a number of companies in a range of sectors including retailers, manufacturers, service providers and technology companies. Check out some of their stories.
And as the future is mobile, they build systems that are executable on mobile devices and on individual kiosks. Social Loyalty is also a key component of their service, helping their clients leverage Twitter, Facebook, Gowalla, Foursquare, LinkedIn and other social media to support social loyalty efforts.
Loyalty Match was one of the first tenants here at the Hub and during the opening ceremony Brad Ball spoke as a representative of the startups, and as a recognition of the innovative technology behind Loyalty Match. They are a prime example of the potential success for all companies here at the Hub.
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| The official cutting on of the ribbon for the Hub - Iain Klugman President and CEO of Communitech; Tom Jenkins Executive Chairman OpenText; Glen Murray Ontario Minister of Research and Innovation; John Milloy MPP Kitchener Centre Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities; Kevin Tuer Managing Director at Canadian Digital Media Network; Brad Ball President and CEO LoyaltyMatch; Carl Zehr Mayor of Kitchener; Tim Jackson CEO of Accelerator Centre. |
And just in case you are interested, here is the announcement about Grey and Yolk:
Grey acquires Yolk, a leading interactive and digital media agency in Asia
20 December, 2010
Latest Acquisition Elevates Grey’s Digital Position in Asia Pacific
SINGAPORE — Grey, the advertising network of Grey Group, today announced a majority-stake acquisition in Yolk, one of Asia’s fastest-growing interactive and digital media networks. Effective immediately, Yolk’s service offering will be integrated into the operations of Grey Asia Pacific.
A digital services company renowned for strategy, creativity, technology and engagement, Yolk’s holistic digital offering includes digital strategy, social media, rich media, online advertising, viral marketing, interactive marketing, search marketing, e-marketing, e-customer relationship management and web-based capabilities.
Founded in 2001, Yolk is headquartered in Singapore, with a presence in Malaysia, Thailand and Australia. The company employs 40 full-time staff and its roster of clients across Asia includes Canon, Microsoft, Ciba Vision and Singapore Economic Development Board, among others.
Yolk has been recognised regionally and globally, having won multiple accolades at the Webby Awards, Asia Interactive Awards, Hitwise Online Performance Awards, Tokyo Broadcasting System DigiCon6+2 and Singapore Creative Circle Awards.
This acquisition will boost Grey Asia Pacific’s presence in the rapidly growing digital marketing sector as well as enhance Grey’s total communications capabilities.
Jim Heekin, Chairman & CEO, Grey Group, said, “The acquisition of Yolk is another clear signal of Grey’s commitment to place digital at the core of our business and deliver powerful, seamless offline and online marketing solutions. The digital services space is growing exponentially and this move adds to our competitive advantage in the marketplace.”
Nirvik Singh, Chairman & CEO, Grey Group Asia Pacific, said, “Yolk is a digitally creative, innovative and daring agency, and at the same time, results-oriented. The team brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, and comes with an outstanding track record. By combining Yolk’s best-in-class digital and interactive capabilities with Grey’s proven expertise, I am confident that we can provide our clients with a new level of excellence in integrated marketing solutions.”
Prakash Somosundram, Director, Yolk, said, “We are excited to be joining Grey in Asia Pacific at this time of dynamic growth, energy and success. With our multifaceted digital services offering, there is no doubt that we will contribute positively and achieve great synergy together. We look forward to working with the numerous talents across the network to lead the industry in digital innovation, creativity and effectiveness.”
The acquisition of Yolk represents the latest initiative in Grey’s growth strategy, as the agency continues to expand and further develop its capabilities in the Asia Pacific region. In September, G2, the brand activation arm of Grey Group, acquired DPI, Greater China’s leading shopper marketing consultancy, adding on to other premier investments by the company including G2 Star Echo in China and G2rams in India.
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