Banyan Branch is adding a new tree limb, announcing today that it is taking over Seattle social media upstart Nology Media. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Nology’s four employees are joining Banyan Branch, and founder Leigh Fatzinger has been named to the company’s advisory board. With the deal, Banyan Branch now employs 50 people.
“Banyan Branch has some of the brightest and creative minds in this business – and the combination of Nology Media with their team and suite of services will only help more brands tell more great stories. I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome,” said Fatzinger, who plans to devote efforts to his new startup, Prosodic. That company raised $1.4 million in May from Ignition Partners and angel investors David Remer and Gary Vaynerchuk.
Banyan Branch, which raised $1.7 million last fall, helps clients such as Amazon, Clarisonic, Porsche, Gilt Groupe and others with social media strategy, engagement, media buying and analytics.
“Nology Media has a unique methodology for content development and community management that will enable Banyan Branch to further deepen its social expertise and offer brands unprecedented engagement strategies and insights,” said Dave Hanley, principal and co-founder of Banyan Branch, in a press release. “Not only does Nology Media help us expand our client base but it also has a company culture that’s already proven to be synergist with our team.”
The deal follows a wave of consolidation in the social media monitoring and analytics arena, including the acquisitions of Cymfony by Visible Technologies and Spring Creek Group by Mediabrands.
