Dealer.com Acquires EpikOne

BURLINGTON, VT – Dealer.com (www.dealer.com), the global leader in online marketing solutions for the automotive industry, today announced that it has acquired selected assets of EpikOne, Inc., a Burlington-based digital consultancy specializing in metrics strategies, media measurement and user experience optimization.  Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

As a trusted partner in Google’s AdWords, Analytics, Website Optimizer and Search programs, EpikOne developed an unparalleled understanding of the Google product suite and built one of the world’s leading consultancies with this expertise.  Clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies have relied on EpikOne to deliver the latest in digital metrics and web analytics and – more importantly – to turn metrics into actionable information for marketers.  EpikOne has worked with leading global brands across a wide range of industries, including Bulgari, Conde Nast, Eurail, GE Healthcare, Harvard, Intuit, Mattel, Morgan Stanley, the National Hockey League, Sony Music and Travelocity. 

“The acquisition of EpikOne is a case where the sum of the parts will definitely be greater than the whole,” said Rick Gibbs, President and Chief Technology Officer at Dealer.com.  “We have already strategically redeployed EpikOne’s employees throughout Dealer.com – to maximize their immediate impact on the business and expedite product development.  With these new capabilities to support metrics and intelligent dashboards tailored specifically to the automotive space, we believe we’ve leapfrogged many of our competitors who continue to rely on more generic solutions.” 

Dave Winslow, co-founder of EpikOne and now Intelligence Chief at Dealer.com, added, “We are very pleased to join forces with Dealer.com, the clear leader in automotive digital marketing.  We built EpikOne as generalists working with some of the world’s best-known brands, but now look forward to focusing on the auto industry, where the opportunities and rewards for those who truly excel online remain very substantial.”

About Dealer.com (www.dealer.com)
Dealer.com is the global leader in online marketing solutions for the automotive industry, providing award winning e-marketing solutions to automotive manufacturers, auto dealers and multi vertical media companies.  The company’s innovative websites and integrated online tools include advertising alternatives that significantly lower the cost of customer acquisition, enhancing dealers’ efficiency and profitability. 

Recent national and international accolades include: Inc. magazine’s 2010 Top Small Company Workplaces and Inc. 5000, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, top ranking in The Net Promoter® Score Survey of customer satisfaction, Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 and the Web Marketing Association's Automobile Standard of Excellence. In addition, Dealer.com was the 2009 Top Rated Website Provider on DrivingSales.com, and won the 2010 Dealers' Choice Diamond Award for Best Website Solution and the 2009 Most Comprehensive Search Marketing Platform Award from the Automotive Search Marketing Association. For more information visit: http://www.dealer.com/promo/look-inside.htm.

01/27/11