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Alloy Digital and Break Media today announced that the companies have merged, creating a powerful digital-centric media company focused on content creation and delivery to the key 12-34 demographic. Operating under the new name Defy Media, the transaction combines the strength of two market leaders with globally recognized media brands and proprietary distribution channels targeting the digital generation. The new company is well positioned to further accelerate programming and brand extensions across established and emerging media platforms.
Defy Media unites Break Media's #1 ranked male-targeted network with Alloy Digital's top ranking media brands and video networks, solidifying a commanding marketplace position with capabilities in content development, in-house production, multi-screen distribution, talent management, brand partnerships and promotion. Both companies have achieved a rapid pace of growth in recent years, building award-winning digital consumer brands and expanding into new revenue streams including merchandising, music, mobile apps, video-on-demand and feature-length content.
"Defy Media signifies a transformative moment, fortifying a multi-faceted media model that's responding to the changing marketplace and expectations of 12-34 consumers," commented Matthew Diamond, CEO of Alloy Digital. "The merging of our highly complementary strengths greatly enhances a formidable programming and distribution engine designed to innovate content delivery in the digital age, while also elevating compelling brand experiences for our clients and partners."
"The expansion of our brand portfolios further energizes Defy Media's content initiatives across all media platforms and creates significant new revenue opportunities," said Keith Richman, CEO of Break Media. "We're excited to realize the next evolution of our business under the new organization as we continue to grow."
Defy Media's proprietary media and ad network will combine Alloy Digital and Break Media's assets, delivering its advertisers unmatched access to consumers across key categories including entertainment, women and men's lifestyle, comedy and gaming. The merger amplifies Defy Media's original programming, offering brand partners custom-built and scalable opportunities to align with premium content, along with unique P12-34 demographic insights that include Break Media's groundbreaking annual study The Acumen Report: The Definitive Guide to Men.
Defy Media's combined strengths include:
- Top ranking owned and operated properties including its anchor brands: SMOSH, the award-winning comedy brand and #2 most subscribed YouTube channel; Break.com, the #1 video humor site on the web; Made Man, a top men's lifestyle destination; Clevver Media, the #1 digital entertainment news provider, and other recognized content brands, AWEme, Screen Junkies, The Gloss, and The Escapist.
- Owned and operated web properties reaching over 50MM monthly unique users
- 40MM social media followers across its multiple dedicated profiles
- 30MM overall YouTube subscribers across owned and operated channels, counting five channels that rank among the video platform's Top 100, in addition to controlling five of YouTube's premium channels
- Reaches 125MM unique monthly viewers across owned and operated YouTube channels
Defy Media will continue to build upon Alloy Digital and Break Media's channel acceleration agreements with Google's YouTube and bolster multi-platform content development relationships with new and existing partners, including Freemantle, MTV, Fuse, BBC Worldwide Productions, Dolphin Entertainment, New Regency Productions and 20th Century Fox.
Alloy Digital CEO Matthew Diamond and Break Media CEO Keith Richman will lead Defy Media as CEO and President, respectively. The company will be headquartered in New York City, with dedicated production, technology, sales and marketing teams based in Los Angeles, where several key executive officers reside. Satellite offices will operate in Chicago, San Francisco, Toronto and Detroit.
Current Alloy Digital investors, ZelnickMedia and ABS Capital Partners, will join existing Break Media shareholder Lionsgate (NYSE:LGF) as backers of Defy Media as a result of this "merger of equals". Representatives of each of these investors will serve on the Defy Media board along with Geraldine Laybourne, an industry veteran and former CEO of Oxygen and Nickelodeon. RBC Capital Markets was the exclusive advisor to Break Media in its merger with Alloy Digital to form Defy Media.
