Meredith announced a minority stake in Real Girls Media Network, a group of social communities connecting millions of women online. This move enhances the depth and breadth of Meredith Interactive Media’s offerings and capabilities, chiefly in the area of social networking.
Specifically, the agreement adds Real Girls Media Network traffic to Meredith’s network of sites, increasing Meredith’s unique visitors to 15 million each month. This places Meredith in the Top 5 of women’s networks as measured by both ComScore and Quantcast, based on October 2008 traffic.
As part of this strategic investment, Meredith and Real Girls Media will combine their inventory and sales forces to deliver premium branded content, a valuable participatory community of women and high quality scale to advertisers online. The relationship also allows Meredith to take advantage of Real Girls Media’s proprietary technology platform to enhance existing sites.
"Meredith is already one of the leading online providers of information for women on the topics that matter most to them and their families," says Jack Griffin, President, Meredith Publishing Group. "This new alignment with Real Girls Media — combined with our upcoming launch of Mixing Bowl, a social community built around meals and meal-planning — further deepens our ability to serve consumers online. For our marketing partners, it means a tremendous opportunity to connect with the most engaged female audiences at the greatest scale."
The Real Girls Media Network includes DivineCaroline.com — its owned and operated marquee site — as well as a premium network of branded sites for women. DivineCaroline.com is a unique platform that publishes user-generated content alongside expert-guided editorial to offer consumers a community in which to share experiences and form connections. This agreement will link consumers between Real Girls Media Network and Meredith branded content and sites.
Real Girls Media Network, founded in 2006, will continue to be based in San Francisco. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, and it will not have a material effect on Meredith’s fiscal 2009 financial performance.
"With our ability to connect to the consumer on multiple content platforms, our marketing relationships, our trusted brands, and our 85 million name database, Meredith is the perfect strategic partner for high quality social and interactive communities," said John Zieser, Meredith Chief Development Officer. "We are actively seeking win-win partnerships and selective acquisitions to expand our network."
