Glam Media

Infobox_Company
company_name = Glam Media, Inc.
company_
company_type = Privately held
foundation = flagicon|United States2003
founder = Samir Arora, Ernie Cicogna, Dianna Mullins, Raj Narayan, Fernando Ruarte
location_city = 8000 Marina Boulevard, Suite 130, Brisbane, California
location_country = flagicon|United StatesU.S.
key_people = Samir Arora, Founder, Chairman and CEO
Fernando Ruarte, Co-Founder, CTO, and VP Engineering
Raj Narayan, Co-Founder and Architect
Ernie Cicogna, Co-Founder and CFO
Dianna Mullins, Co-Founder and VP Product Operations
Scott Schiller, Chief Revenue Officer
Ryan Roslansky, VP, Products
Bernard Desarnauts, VP & GM International
John Trimble, VP Sales
Ralf Hirt, VP International Expansion
Joe Lagani, VP & GM Glam Living
Jennifer Salant, VP Business Development
industry = Internet, Media, Fashion
products = [http://www.glam.com Glam.com] , media network
num_employees = 150 (2008)
homepage = [http://www.glammedia.com Glam Media] |

Glam Media, Inc. is a privately held company that runs a network of more than 500cite web
url = http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/movers_and_shakers/article4186873.ece
first = Andrew
last = Davidson
title = Glam.com Samir Arora boss is in the pink
work = Times Online
publisher = Times Newspapers Ltd.
accessdate = June 23
accessyear = 2008] lifestyle websites and blogs, providing an advertisement platform for fashion-oriented brands. Glam Media is best known for Glam.com, a style website targeted at women and having high visitor numbers.

History

Glam Media was founded in 2003 by former NetObjects CEO Samir Arora together with a group of veteran software engineers who already worked together at NetObjects, Inc., amongst them Raj Narayan and Fernando Ruarte.

The business plan was to develop a website focusing on fashion in order to bring brand advertisers to the Web. In the view of the Glam founders, women and their interests were underserved online and so the website was envisaged to attract female customers for advertisers by recreating the look and feel of printed fashion magazinescite web
url = http://www.forbes.com/free_forbes/2007/0917/056.html
first = Claire Cain
last = Miller
title = Pretty in Pink
work = Forbes.com
date = September 17, 2007
publisher = Forbes.com LLC
accessdate = November 2
accessyear = 2007] cite web
url = http://www.glammedia.com/about_glam/our_story/an_idea_whose_time_had_come.php
title = Glam Media. About Glam. Our Story.
work = Glam Media
publisher = Glam Media
accessdate = October 24
accessyear = 2007] .

The company evolved with an approach similar to the network-TV model. Glam owns and operates a dozen women's fashion sites and provides a showcase and ad platform for a few hundred small publishers (the affiliates).cite web
url = http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/movers_and_shakers/article4186873.ece
first = Andrew
last = Davidson
title = Glam.com Samir Arora boss is in the pink
work = Times Online
publisher = Times Newspapers Ltd.
accessdate = June 23
accessyear = 2008]

Initial financing was provided by Samir Arora's Information Capital LLC and $10 million in series B financing led by Accel. In December 2005, the Glam Publisher Network was launched, and in December 2006 a funding of $18.5 million in series C financing was closed. In summer 2007, Glam reported a multi-year ad deal with Googlecite web | url = http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/interactive/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003593114 | title = Glam Strikes Deal With Google | author = Mike Shields | publisher = 2007 Nielsen Business Media | accessdate = November 2 | accessyear = 2007] and was reported to be raising more funds with a campaign under the guidance of the Bank of America and Allen & Company.cite web
url = http://mediabiz.blogs.cnnmoney.cnn.com/2007/08/16/the-glam-orous-life/
title = The Glam-orous Life
work = CNNMoney.com
first = PAUL R.
last = La Monica
publisher = Cable News Network. A Time Warner Company
date = August 18, 2007
accessdate = October 17 | accessyear = 2007] cite web | url = http://venturebeat.com/2006/12/14/womens-fashion-network-glam-raises-19-million-at-whopping-valuation/ | title = Women’s fashion network Glam raises $18.5 million at whopping valuation | author = Matt Marshall | publisher = VentureBeat | accessdate = October 24 | accessyear = 2007] cite web | url = http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/12/14/glam-media-gets-18-million-and-a-cnet-chairman/ | title = Glam Media Gets $18.5 Million And A CNET Chairman | author = Andrew Meyer | publisher = TechCrunch | accessdate = November 2 | accessyear = 2007] cite web | url = http://venturebeat.com/2007/08/12/glam-media-raising-200m-to-announce-google-deal/ | title = Glam Media raising $200M, to announce Google deal | author = Matt Marshall | publisher = VentureBeat | accessdate = November 2 | accessyear = 2007] cite web | url = http://static.scribd.com/docs/ilo8y6373w5zl.swf | title = Glam Media 200,000,000 Private Placement | publisher = Bank of America | accessdate = November 2 | accessyear = 2007] cite web | url = http://venturebeat.com/2008/01/31/glam-still-raising-up-to-200-in-cash-and-debt-announcement-coming-soon/ | title = Glam still raising up to $200 million in cash and debt, announcement coming soon | author = Matt Marshall | publisher = VentureBeat | accessdate = February 19 | accessyear = 2008] In fact, series D financial funding summed up to $84.6 millioncite web
url = http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120390178731489459.html
title = Online Ad Networks Raise Big Money In Latest Efforts
author = Kevin J. Delaney and Emily Steel
publisher = Wall Street Journal
accessdate = February 25
accessyear = 2008] .

In late 2007, Glam hired executives including senior sales executive John Trimble from Fox Entertainment Group to head up new market salescite web | url = http://www.glammedia.com/about_glam/news/2007/10/19/senior-fox-interactive-executive-john-trimble-joins-glam-media-as-sales-evp| title = Senior Fox Interactive Executive John Trimble Joins Glam Media As Sales Evp | publisher = Glam Media | accessdate = November 2 | accessyear = 2007] cite web | url = http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003660808&imw=Y | title = Glam Nabs Fox's Trimble
author = Mike Shields | publisher = Nielsen Business Media | accessdate = November 2 | accessyear = 2007] and publisher Joe Lagani from House & Garden (Condé Nast Publications)cite web | url = http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=69392 | title = Glam Media Hires Conde Nast Exec To Lead Living Channel
author = Gavin O'Malley | publisher = MediaPost Communications | accessdate = November 2 | accessyear = 2007] to lead the new living channel.House & Garden magazine subsequently was closed after losing it's publisher. cite web | url = http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/homeandgarden/stories/2007/11/07/hgclose_1107.html | title = Say goodbye to House & Garden magazine
author = Megan K. Scott | publisher = The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | accessdate = November 9 | accessyear = 2007]

In November 2007, Glam Media teamed up with cable network Lifetime Television to develop co-branded and shared content. As a result of the cooperation, Lifetime has relaunched their website myLifetime.com. Glam Media "will initially leverage their aggregated blogs and articles to power a “Beauty & Style” channel on the Lifetime website; conversely, Lifetime will lend broadband video, interactive media, and future original content to enhance Glam’s offerings".cite web | url = http://mashable.com/2007/11/12/lifetime-glam-media/ | title = Lifetime to use Glam's Managed Vertical Network | author = Andy Angelos | publisher = Mashable! | accessdate = November 18 | accessyear = 2007] cite web | url = http://www.adweek.com/aw/national/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003671362 | title = Lifetime Goes Glam With Site Relaunch | author = Alex Woodson | publisher = Nielsen Business Media, Inc. | accessdate = November 18 | accessyear = 2007] Glam announced the partnership as a "new vertical media network" which the company sees itself pioneeringcite press release | title = Lifetime Networks partners with Glam Media To Develop New Vertical Media Network | publisher = Glam Media | date = 2007-11-12 | url = http://www.glammedia.com/about_glam/news/2007/11/12/lifetime-networks-partners-with-glam-media-to-develop-new-vertical-media-network | accessdate = 2007-11-14 ] giving media companies "networks with all the glory and none of the headaches of building their own."cite press release | title = Glam Lets Rivals Copy Its Ad Network Plan, and Takes a Cut | author = Saul Hansell | publisher = The New York Times Company | date = 2007-12-13 | url = http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/13/glam-lets-rivals-copy-its-ad-network-plan-and-takes-a-cut/ | accessdate = 2007-11-14 ]

Further pronouncing parallels to the print world, Glam in January, 2008, introduced a "primetime placement technology" based its display ad platform "Glam Evolution" to ensure desired placements on the Glam website for brand advertisers.cite web | url = http://venturebeat.com/2008/02/24/womans-network-glam-raises-846-million-at-half-a-billion-valuation-adconian-raises-80m/
title = Woman’s network Glam raises $84.6 million at half a billion valuation, Adconion raises $80M | author = Matt Marshall | publisher = VentureBeat | accessdate = February 25 | accessyear = 2008] cite press release | title = Glam Media introduces the first Internet Premium Ads-primetime Placement | publisher = Glam Media | date = 2008-01-24 | url = http://www.glammedia.com/about_glam/news/2008/01/24/glam-media-introduces-the-first-internet-primetime-placement-and-vertical-targeting-brand-engagement-advertising-platform%e2%80%94glam-evolution/ | accessdate = 2008-02-29 ] Yahoo engineer Kiumarse Zamanian was hired to lead the Glam Evolution as Vice President.cite web | url = http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/02/glam-media-hires-yahoo-ad-exec.html | title = Glam Media Hires Yahoo Engineer | author = Michael Learmonth | publisher = Silicon Alley Insider, Inc. | accessdate = February 19 | accessyear = 2008]

In May, 2008, the "GlamTV Platform" was introduced to enable targeted video distribution across its network. Cooperation partners include Sony BMG and MTV.cite web
url = http://www.glammedia.com/about_glam/news/2008/05/28/glam-media-launches-glamtv-platform-for-video-with-premium-partners-e-online-sony-bmg-lifetime-networks-celebtv-and-tv-guide-broadband-for-publishers/
title = Glam Media Launches Glamtv Platform For Video
work = Glam Media. About Glam. News. Press Releases
publisher = Glam Media
accessdate = June 23
accessyear = 2008] There will be a "three-way revenue split between Glam, the content providers, and the blog publishers who run these clips."cite web
url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/29/AR2008052900679.html
first = Rafat
last = Ali
title = Glam Media Expands With Video Distribution Across Network; Three Way Rev-Share
work = washingtonpost.com
publisher = The Washington Post Company
accessdate = June 23
accessyear = 2008]

International expansion and cooperation

Naming "short-term opportunities for world-wide and fast expansion" of their businesscite web
url = http://www.horizont.net/aktuell/medien/pages/protected/show.php?id=77564&openbox=0
first = Juliane
last = Paperlein
title = Glam expandiert kräftig und plant Männerableger
work = Horizont.net
publisher = Deutscher Fachverlag GmbH
date = July 14, 2008
accessdate = July 20
accessyear = 2008] , Glam Media started acquisitions in Europe in the year 2008.

In February 2008, Glam announced it will start operating in "United Kingdom, Germany, France and Japan in 2008"cite press release | title = Glam Media, ranked as number one in women online, launches global expansion and UK operations | publisher = Glam Media | date = 2008-02-25 | url = http://www.glammedia.com/about_glam/news/2008/02/25/glam-media-ranked-as-number-one-in-women-online-launches-global-expansion-and-uk-operations | accessdate = 2008-02-25 ] . In June, 2008, Glam acquired London-based digital-marketing company Monetise Ltd, whose 17 employees would form Glam's UK-team.cite web
url = http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121367598185980369.html
first = Emily
last = Steel
title = Glam Media to Announce Acquisition
work = The Wall Street Journal
publisher = Dow Jones & Company
accessdate = June 21
accessyear = 2008] Referencing ComScore, UK newspaper The Guardian reported in it's online edition on June 18th, 2008, that Glam had "already 10 million unique users in the UK each month"cite web
url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jun/18/digitalmedia.mediabusiness1
first = Jemima
last = Kiss
title = Leading US women's website Glam Media targets UK
work = guardian.co.uk
publisher = Guardian News and Media Limited
accessdate = June 28
accessyear = 2008]

Also in February 2008, Glam and Hubert Burda Media, one of the biggest German media companies, announced a cooperation which opened the American market fur Burda. Burda was also one of the investors in series D financialcite web | url = http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120390178731489459.html | title = Online Ad Networks Raise Big Money In Latest Efforts | author = Kevin J. Delaney and Emily Steel | publisher = Wall Street Journal | accessdate = February 25 | accessyear = 2008] , making Burda a "one-digit-percentage" shareholder in Glamcite web
url = http://www.kress.de/cont/story.php?id=122684
first = Nico
last = Kunkel
title = Glam Media baggert deutsche Mädels an
work = kress Der Mediendienst
publisher = Haymarket Media GmbH
date = July 11, 2008
accessdate = July 20
accessyear = 2008] . Burda's executive Christiane zu Salm joined the Glam board as an observercite web | url = http://www.glammedia.com/about_glam/news/2008/02/25/glam-media-raises-85-million-in-private-strategic-financing| title = Glam Media raises $85 million in private strategic financing | publisher = Glam Media | accessdate = February 25 | accessyear = 2008] .

"Once convertibles are factored in, the post-money valuation of the company is a robust $500 million. Just 17 months ago, the company was valued at mere $150 million", wrote Venture Beat's Matt Marshallcite web | url = http://venturebeat.com/2008/02/24/womans-network-glam-raises-846-million-at-half-a-billion-valuation-adconian-raises-80m/
title = Woman’s network Glam raises $84.6 million at half a billion valuation, Adconion raises $80M | author = Matt Marshall | publisher = VentureBeat | accessdate = February 25 | accessyear = 2008] .

On July 17th, 2008, Glam and Burda Cross Media, an subsidiary of Hubert Burda Media, presented their new German joint venture Glam Media GmbH with Glam's vice Ralf Hirt as managing directorcite web
url = http://www.focus.de/kultur/medien/glam-us-frauenportal-startet-in-deutschland_aid_318581.html
title = US-Frauenportal startet in Deutschland
work = FOCUS Online
publisher = TOMORROW FOCUS Portal GmbH
date = July 17, 2008
accessdate = July 20
accessyear = 2008] cite web
url = http://www.marketingvox.com/glam-goes-live-in-germany-with-burda-liaison-codex-asset-buy-039902/
title = Glam Goes Live in Germany with Burda Liaison, Codex Asset Buy
work = MarketingVOX
publisher = Watershed Publishing, LLC
date = July 17, 2008
accessdate = July 20
accessyear = 2008] . As a start and beginning with a staff of 10 employees, Munich-based Codex Media GmbH was acquired and its founder Katja Dalhöfer engaged as sales manager in Germany. Referencing ComScore numbers, Glam Media claimed that it had already 1 million unique users in Germany with its offers in English languagecite web
url = http://www.glammedia.com/about_glam/news/2008/07/17/glam-media-launches-in-germany-as-premium-vertical-content-network-for-women-with-burda-cross-media-as-joint-venture-partner
title = Glam Media launches in Germany ss Premium Vertical Content Network for women with Burda Cross Media as joint venture partner
work = Glam Media News Release
publisher = Glam Media
date = July 17, 2008
accessdate = July 20
accessyear = 2008] .

Plans for further expansion to "the rest of Europe, India and China" were postponed to "before 2010".

Competition and Performance

In May 2008, Glam Media had more than 42 million unique visitors a month in the U.S., reaching #14 on comScore 100 listcite web | url = http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2270 | title = comScore Media Metrix Releases Top 50 Web Ranking for May | publisher = comScore, Inc. | accessdate = June 23 | accessyear = 2008] , up from #17 in March 2008cite web | url = http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2180 | title = comScore Media Metrix Releases Top 50 Web Ranking for March | publisher = comScore, Inc. | accessdate = April 27 | accessyear = 2008] , and from #28 in January 2008cite web | url = http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2067 | title = comScore Media Metrix Releases Top 50 Web Ranking for January | publisher = comScore, Inc. | accessdate = April 27 | accessyear = 2008] .

As of 2007, Glam had overtaken other women-oriented fashion sites like iVillage or AOL Living.cite web | url = http://venturebeat.com/2007/06/17/glam-surges-to-no-1-womens-property-overtakes-ivillage/ | title = Glam surges to No. 1 women’s property, overtakes iVillage | author = Matt Marshall | publisher = VentureBeat | accessdate = October 24 | accessyear = 2007] cite web | url = http://venturebeat.com/2007/01/09/womens-online-network-glam-fastest-growing-on-the-web/ | title = Women’s online network, Glam, fastest growing on the Web | author = Matt Marshall | publisher = VentureBeat | accessdate = October 24 | accessyear = 2007]

As a private held company, Glam Media does not publish financial reports. Nonetheless a company presentation published for investors in August 2007 speaks of an expected revenue around $20 million in 2007 and reaching EBITDA positive in late 2007.cite web | url = http://static.scribd.com/docs/ilo8y6373w5zl.swf | title = Glam Media 200,000,000 Private Placement | publisher = Bank of America | accessdate = November 2 | accessyear = 2007] Other sources indicated a projection of $25 million for 2007cite web
url = http://www.foliomag.com/2008/glamorizing-brands
first = Bill Mickey
last = Miller
title = Glamorizing Brands
work = FOLIO
publisher = Red 7 Media, LLC
date = January 3, 2008
accessdate = February 25
accessyear = 2008] Numbers that leaked in June, 2007, were only showing a revenue of $1.34 million in the first quarter of 2007 and projecting a total of $11 million in 2007.cite web | url = http://valleywag.com/tech/exclusive/glams-leaked-sales-numbers-271103.php | title = Glam's leaked sales numbers | author = Nick Denton | publisher = Valleywag.com | accessdate = February 19 | accessyear = 2008]

In June, 2008, Samir Arora told the Wall Street Journalcite web
url = http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121367598185980369.html
first = Emily
last = Steel
title = Glam Media to Announce Acquisition
work = The Wall Street Journal
publisher = Dow Jones & Company
accessdate = June 21
accessyear = 2008] that he expects $100 million in revenue in 2008.

Ad network or distributed media company?

sees Glam as both a content and an ad network and adds "in the end Glam is really a platform"cite web | url = http://www.buzzmachine.com/2008/01/21/dld-the-network-model/ | title = DLD: The network model | author = Jeff Jarvis | accessdate = February 19 | accessyear = 2008] .

The crucial issue of the discussion is whether traffic of the ad partners of Glam should be counted to Glam's trafficcite web
url = http://venturebeat.com/2007/08/12/glam-to-sign-1-billion-ad-deal-and-draws-critics/
first = Matt
last = Marshall
title = Glam to sign $1 billion ad deal — and draws critics
work = VentureBeat
date = August 12, 2007
accessdate = November 2
accessyear = 2007] . CEO Samir Arora describes Glam Media as an example of a distributed media company opposed to a portal or ad networks. Along with its own programming, a distributed online media site curates or brints together content from other sites in its network. A mere ad network would rely on distributing online advertisements in various ways without focusing on distributing its own or third-party content as well. Glam’s ad serving and technology platform called "Glam Evolution" was established to let sites easily upload their stories into Glam.cite web | url = http://www.buzzmachine.com/2007/11/12/glam-the-success-of-the-network/ | title = Glam: The success of the network | author = Jeff Jarvis | accessdate = November 18 | accessyear = 2007]

In a FOLIO story, Arora further pointed out the role of Glam in the publishing process: “Our editors are both editors and curators. We start by making sure a site is targeted to women, then we look at editorial quality, then how we can package brand advertising with this publisher in a way that will make the ads desirable."

Analyst Greg Sterling commented: “Glam has the reach. So I don’t see the issue of whether they are a destination or a network as being worthy of that much debate.”

References

External links

* [http://www.glammedia.com Glam Media company website]
* [http://www.glam.com Glam.com]